Electric Woman
by Aegix21
Summary: Sienna Gold is a powerful Godling who uses her Godly lineage to seek out and destroy evil when she meets Sam and Dean Winchester. They combine forces to try to put a stop to Lilith and the apocalypse. During their journeys, Dean and Sienna make a connection neither of them can deny. Starts in between the 2nd and 3rd seasons! Anything you recognize I don't own!
1. Sienna Gold

**NOTE TO NEW READERS** : I just came back to read these first chapters and I'm cringingggg. They're not amazing, but the writing gets much better, I promise! And the chapters get longer! Thanks for reading!

"Thanks, man!" A blonde-haired teenage boy yelled, while jumping out of the passenger seat of a blue SUV.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and made his way to the familiar downtown alley way. He put the phone up to his ear. Straight to voicemail. He rolled his eyes.

When prompted, he left a message.  
"Dude, why are you _always_ late?" He sighed, "I'm already at Freak Alley, by Hendrix, HURRY."

He looked up from his phone and realized he was alone in the graffiti-splattered alleyway. He walked along the wall, checking out the new pieces. Boise, Idaho wasn't like most major cities in the US. It was relatively small with not much to do.

It was common for teens and adults alike to be strolling Freak Alley, especially in late August after all the new murals go up, but even after five minutes, he was alone.

Out of nowhere, a stiff, cold breeze rose the goosebumps on his arms and the back of his neck, though he was surrounded by the suffocating Idaho summer heat. Next, a foul, rotten-eggs smell assaulted his senses and he gagged and choked before stumbling away from the dumpsters he was closest to.

He tried to take a deep breath, but the smell was still there.

From the back entrance of the bar in front of him, black smoke billowed out- and headed straight for him. His eyes widened and he took a step back, but it was too late. The smoke took him over, shooting through his mouth and down his throat.

A group of teens, two boys and two girls, walked into the entry way of Boise's Freak Alley, their conversations overlapping each other's.

"Guys, Danny said he's over by the Hendrix mural. Come on!" A brunette boy exclaimed, a little in front of the rest of the group.

"Danny!" He called when he could just barely make out his blonde hair.

The group jogged up to their friend.

"What's the deal on this show? Is it at the Knitting Factory or Revolution Center?" One of the girls inquired.

"Actually..." Danny smiled mischievously, "I've got the deets on a keg party tonight. You guys down for that?"

The brunette boy who'd called his name earlier raised an eyebrow at him.

" _You_ …know of a party?" He asked skeptically.

"That's not usually your style."

Danny smiled, almost cruelly, down at him. "What can I say? The summer changes people. Are you guys ready?"

The small group buzzed with energy and Danny laughed.

"Of course you are."

The group headed to the road to hail a cab, oblivious to the curly, red-headed woman close on their tail.

Sienna followed the cab of teens to the south side of Boise to an abandoned bar surrounded by shut-in warehouses. The demon had pulled back a loose board on the door and ushered the unsuspecting kids in like sheep.

She parked her purple vintage VW bug a block away and armed herself with a flask of holy water, two guns and salt pellet bullets.

Crouching low to the ground, Sienna scouted out the abandoned bar quietly. It had two entrances, though only the back opened, and all the windows and doors were boarded up. Graffiti decorated almost every inch of the outside. It must have been abandoned awhile.

Sienna was picking her way silently to the door the demon had opened. She heard voices-clearer the closer she got.

"D-Danny, why are you doing this?" One of the girls was crying.

Sienna sighed. Right on time.

She slipped her hand between the loose board and the door frame. In one motion, she pulled the door open and slid inside, pointing a gun directly at 'Danny's' head.

The crying girl let out a small shriek. Sienna took stock of the room. All the kids we're staring at her shocked. At least they weren't hurt yet.

Danny looked at her quizzically and then he laughed, a cruel chortle.

"Hey, kids, get the hell out of here," she motioned to the door with her head.

The crying girl tried to crawl behind her, but the demon stuck a hand out and slammed her against the wall telepathically. She coughed hard and struggled to regain her breath.

Sienna shot the hand that was controlling the poor girl with a salt pellet.  
The demon swore and turned his gaze on her.

"You hunters," he spat, "Always getting in the way."

He took a step toward her and Sienna took a step away from the door. He followed, and she took another, larger, step away from the door.

They were in the opposite corner now. The kids had a clear shot to freedom if she could keep him distracted. She met the gaze of the brunette boy who spoke in the alleyway, and gestured toward the door as best she could with her eyes. She could only hope he understood.

She flung holy water in the demon's face and pushed him hard against the opposite wall. His face was burning against the dusty wood, and she heard the kids crash through the open door. Sienna laughed joyfully, and the demon growled back in protest.

He pushed hard on her arm, the one locking him in place, and Sienna stumbled backward.

She flung more holy water on him and pushed him hard against the wall again, holding him in place by the lapels of his jacket. She was getting angry, and she could feel the familiar sting in her eyes.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii"- The door suddenly flew open and two men darted in.

Sienna jumped at the sudden noise and her grip on the demon loosened. He shoved her hard and she fell back. The demon laughed at the men in front of her before shooting out of the mouth of his host.

The kid fell back and Sienna broke his fall, catching his shoulders and head.

The men were staring at her, mouths flopped open.  
Sienna was livid. She _had_ him. Her eyes stung as she scowled at the mysterious men.

"Who the hell are you?"

The tall one raised his eyebrows at her, and the short one just smirked at her.

The tall one stepped forward and bent to lift the kid off of her.  
"Uh, hi, I'm Sam and this is my brother Dean."

Dean moved forward and offered his hand out to her. She was still angry so she rejected the hand and got up herself. Dean pursed his lips, but didn't say anything.

Sam carried the kid out the door, and without a glance in either of their directions, she stomped out after him.

The group of kids were outside, leaning against a '69 Chevy Impala.  
It seemed Sam was explaining the whole ordeal to them so she walked past them, headed for her bug.

"Hey, wait. Wait!" The short one, Dean, jogged after her.

She turned when she reached the driver door of her bug. He skidded to a stop in front of her and held his hand out to her again.

"I didn't catch your name."

She smirked, "I didn't tell you it."

One corner of his mouth tugged up, amused.

"Well, I'm Dean Winchester, and that was Sam…we're hunters."

He waited for her reply and when it didn't come, he kept going.

"Are you hunting this demon?"

She glared at him, her annoyance coming back to her.

"I _was_ exorcising that demon, until you and your brother barged in like redneck supermen," she scoffed.

He made a disgruntled face, "I am _not_ a redneck."

She couldn't help the chuckle that made its way out of her chest.  
She finally took his outstretched hand and shook it.

"Sienna Gold."


	2. Daughter of the Great Thunderer

**Dean POV

Sienna Gold.

That was the name of the smoking hot redhead who looked like she wanted to throttle both Sam and me. I couldn't really blame her. She was about thirty seconds from exorcising the demon when we'd busted in and screwed it up.

Now, we didn't have any leads.

"Wait," she looked up at him while opening the driver door of her little car, "Winchester?"

He grimaced, "Uh, yeah?"

"Like John Winchester?" She demanded, obviously surprised.

"You knew our dad?" Sam had ushered the kids into a taxi before walking over to join the conversation.

"He saved my life once," she sighed wistfully.

The boys shared a look. There was plenty they'd found out about their father since his death. Apparently done with the conversation, Sienna climbed in the car and shut the creaky door. Dean leaned down to her window.

"Hey, uh, since we screwed the pooch on this one, we could, you know…offer our services? As payback?"

Her hand hesitated on the ignition and she considered the offer, narrowing her eyes at him a little. Is that gold in her eyes?

She sighed, "Follow me."

Dean patted her door and jogged to the Impala, Sam following close behind and sliding into the passenger seat. She flipped a U-turn, and Dean took off behind her. Finding another hunter was rare, especially one this attractive, so Dean wanted to establish a friendship with the girl.

As Sienna led us past an extremely nice neighborhood with steep hills, Sam broke the silence.

"You don't think it's weird she knew Dad and we've never even heard of her?"

Dean sighed, "To be honest Sam, it seems like everyone knew dad...is it really a surprise anymore?"

Sam didn't answer, instead he kept his eyes locked on the foothills outside his window.

Ten more minutes of silence went by and Sienna stopped to unlock a large metal gate. Dean kept the Impala running behind her. They drove through and she stopped just on the other side so she could lock it again. Dean met her gaze as she passed him and he swore he could see the gold glint in her eyes again.

She pulled around a circular driveway and parked directly in front of a two-story stone-built house with large, floor to ceiling windows. The house was surrounded by mist, maybe cloud, considering the high elevation. She had literally no neighbors and tons of property closed off by the tall wrought iron gate she locked earlier.

The porch stretched across the entire front of the house, large marble columns placed periodically.

"This is...your house?" Sam asked her skeptically. "How old are you?"

She laughed lightly. "It was my mother's. She died four years ago."

She stopped at the door to turn and meet their curious gazes. "Wolves." She swallowed hard.

"And I'm twenty-four," She finished while unlocking the door. She pushed it open lightly.

"Domum," she said while waving the boys in. Sam raised his eyebrows at her, "Is that...Latin?" He almost scoffed.

She met his gaze for the third time, "I'm fluent."

The house was amazing. It was spacious and dark because the windows supported most of the daily light, and it was currently midnight. She led them through a hallway decorated in ancient Greek and Latin memorabilia. As Dean took a closer look, he realized the whole house was decorated this way.

"Was your mom...like, possessed? I mean what is all this stuff?" Dean couldn't help but ask.

"Some of it's my father's. It reminded her of him, I guess."

Her answer only raised more questions in his mind. He was about to voice those questions when he noticed the room adjacent to the dining room.

"Holy crap!" Dean ran to it. Sam shrugged and followed his easily distracted brother.

They had stepped into a literal weapons room. There was every sort of weapon known to man-kind hanging on the walls and in trunks on the floor. Swords, daggers, knives, guns, grenades, shields, and things even Dean didn't recognize. He had pulled a long Broadsword off the wall and was admiring it when Sienna caught his attention.

"You practice?"

She was leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed across her chest. A sly smile pulled her lips up at the corners. Dean laughed.

"With a sword? No," Her smile disappeared and she look disappointed.

"You're telling me you could use this thing? In a fight?" Sam asked with another sword in his hand.  
"Well, with mine." She shrugged. "I've got training dummies outside if you want to take a whack at it."

She laughed as both boys practically ran outside. Dean was thrusting forward and pulling back, trying to get the feel of the blade. When he pulled back again, he felt someone behind him.

Sienna was there, smiling. She held out a different sword. It was shorter and more evenly-weighted. She handed it to him and set the other on the ground.

"This will suit you better," she murmured. She turned to take a swing or two at the dummy in between Sam and me.

She held a long point sword made of a thin, almost shining silver. Lightning bolts were engraved into the hilt. She darted in and her movements were so quick Dean didn't even see them. She pulled back and the fake head of the dummy rolled to the ground. Dean raised his eyebrows.

"That's kind of hot," He smirked. She rolled her eyes, but grinned up at him.

"Okay, seriously, who are you?" Sam looked at her suspiciously.

She raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

Just then, her head snapped toward the house. "Someone's here."

She fished the flask of holy water out of her pocket and held the sword in a deadly stance before lithely darting in the house and disappearing. Dean followed, though he wasn't properly armed. They stepped in the threshold silently and he copied her movements best he could. After all, it was her house- she knew how to stay hidden.

Dean watched Sienna peer forward, and then she slunk forward with incredible speed and grace. The demon was wearing a different teenager now, and practically hissed when it saw her. Dean didn't waste a second. He surged forward and smacked the flat end of the sword's hilt into the demon's head.

The demon crumpled, allowing Dean to hold him securely.

Sienna flicked holy water while she began exorcising the demon.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica-" The demon screeched and threw Dean against the wall. As Dean struggled to regain his ground, Sienna tossed more holy water on the demon.

Sam jumped forward onto the demon, knocking them both to the ground. Sienna took up right where she left off.

"-ergo draco maledicte, ut ecclesiam tuam secura, tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos!" And with that, the demon was pulled out of his host's body and thrown down through the floor boards, leaving scorch marks behind.

Sienna crouched next to Dean on the floor. He laid flat on his back and when he opened his eyes, she was leaned over his face. They made eye contact and Dean sucked in a breath. Sienna's eyes blazed a shining gold that slowly faded while they stared at each other.

Dean shook his head, sure he was hallucinating.

"Come on" Sienna murmured as she stood, holding her hand out to Dean. He took it, still a little dazed.

All three adults were breathing raggedly. Sienna sluggishly walked toward the kitchen, and Sam and Dean followed her, putting the swords they held back where they found them.

As they all converged on the kitchen counter, Sienna slid bottles of beer to them both. Dean's kind of woman. We all stood in silence, drinking our beer.

"Well, I think I'm going to call Bobby, Dean, I'll be back, " Sam said nonchalantly.

"Bobby Singer?" Sienna sounded surprised.

"You know Bobby, too?" Dean was just as surprised as she was.

A blush rose in her cheeks and she picked at the label on her beer bottle, "Uh, the last time I saw him, I was like nine." She shrugged.

The boys locked eyes before leaving the room together to call Bobby. One thing is for sure- they needed to talk about this mystery girl.

...

"Hello?" Bobby's gruff voice came through the cell phone speaker.

"Bobby, hey, you're on speaker with me and Dean," Sam started.

Sam brushed over the hunt, leaving out the most important part- Sienna. Dean quickly got tired of waiting and took the phone from Sam, earning a glare from the younger Winchester.

"Bobby, who is Sienna Gold?"

There was a long silence.

"I reckon she's a very powerful young woman by now," Bobby replied gravely.

The brother's shared a confused look before Dean continued.

"We ran into her on this hunt, um, she was working it too. We're at her house now."

Bobby busted up laughing. He was laughing for a good three minutes before Dean, slightly annoyed now, interrupted him.

"What is so funny?"

Bobby took a couple seconds to catch his breath, "You're telling me you've been with Sienna and she hasn't almost killed you yet, boy?" Another laugh escaped.

Sam gave Dean a knowing look. "Is she dangerous? Is she human?" Sam drilled him.

"Well, partly," Bobby sounded nonchalant.

There was a crash in the phone and distant yelling. "Rufus what in the hell-" Bobby started to yell.

"Woah, Bob you okay?" Dean looked concerned.

"Look boys, I've got to go, just ask her yourself! And try not to piss her off." The line went dead.

...

The boys made their way back in the house. Once inside, Dean started calling for Sienna.

"I'm in the weapons room!" She called, "Will you get another beer from the fridge?"

Dean chuckled and did as she asked before grabbing his own and heading toward her voice. When he and Sam walked in she was on the floor with her back to them. She seemed to be diligently working on something they couldn't see.

Dean tapped her lightly on the back and accidentally shocked her with static electricity.

"Ow, damn, sorry," He apologized.

She snorted through her nose before looking up at him.

"I'm pretty used to it," She laughed like she told a joke. Dean handed her the beer she'd asked for. "So, what did Bobby say about me?" She asked after turning back to whatever it was she was doing.

The boys looked at each other guiltily, "Uh, what are you talking about?" Dean tried to cover.

She turned her head and gave him an accusatory expression. "You don't have to lie."

Sam spoke up, "He said you're either partly human or partly dangerous, but he wasn't very clear on which."

She threw her head back and laughed loudly, the sound ringing off all the metal in close proximity. "Perhaps it's both?" She giggled again.

Dean's curiosity overpowered him. "What're you doing over there?" He asked her.

She turned her head toward him again and gave him a breath-taking crooked smile. Dean sucked in a nervous gasp and met her gaze.

She lifted her toes off the ground and spun around on her butt, tugging a three-foot rounded piece of metal in the space between her legs. "I'm polishing," she said simply.

She looked up into their faces as she flipped the metal over.

As soon as Dean laid eyes on it, he cringed and took a step or two back towards Sam who had gasped slightly and was looking the other direction. Sienna laid on her back laughing as hard as can be.

The metal looked like some sort of shield. Pressed into the face of the metal was the face of Medusa staring back at him ominously with Ancient Greek lettering swirled around her.

"The hell is that?!" Dean asked, almost yelling. He wouldn't look directly at it.

She stood and wrapped her left arm through the back, holding the shield traditionally, ready for battle. Dean admired her. She looked like a warrior goddess.

She met his eyes, and she must have seen something there, because she hesitated, staring back, before setting the shield in its place on the wall.

"That's Aegis." She sounded thoughtful. "A gift from my father when I was thirteen. In Ancient Greece, that's when a girl is considered a woman. Most girls get married, but my father knew I was a warrior since birth."

"Wait..." Sam was staring at her intensely. "I know that name. Aegis..."

He was thinking hard on the name- he even made the face Dean knew too well. Sienna bit her bottom lip slightly.

"That's..." Sam looked at Sienna obviously torn, "Your father gave that to you?"

She nodded and Dean huffed, annoyed at being excluded from the conversation.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Dean whined.

Sam rolled his eyes and turned to him.

"Aegis is the name of the shield both Zeus and Athena have carried with them in different stories of Greek Mythology. It displays one of the Gorgons, to repel their enemies. Some people thought it was a goatskin..." Sam trailed off.

With wide eyes, Dean turned to Sam incredulously. "Zeus?!"

Both brothers turned their gaze on Sienna. She was holding herself pridefully. Her back was straight, her head held high, and she met their gazes steadily.

"Yes," Her voice strong, almost commanding, "Zeus is my father."


	3. The Story So Far

Sorry it took me so long to post this! Holidays and junk :) Please R&R! I'll try to keep up with it weekly-ish. Reviews give me motivation! Thanks for reading!

Sienna POV

Exclamations of disbelief exploded out of both boys. They talked over each other, making it impossible to respond or even understand them. Sienna just sat quietly on her living room couch, waiting patiently for them to let her talk. She'd suggested they move there for their discussion after seeing the boys' tempers rear up. Probably best to keep them away from weapons right now. She's had this talk a million times. It was routine.

It's understandable that they wouldn't believe her. I mean, believing in the Christian God is far-fetched enough and here she was telling them to believe in them all. She sighed.

The easiest way was to show them, she knew that, but it took so much energy from her that she would really rather not.

"All the myths are real, remember?" She made her voice carry over both of them.

They paused briefly to look at her in exasperation before going back to arguing at full volume.

She rolled her eyes at the still babbling boys and stood. She took Dean's hand in her own, gently pulling it out of his front jean pocket, and turned, tugging him behind her.

This shut them both up and they followed her in a curious silence. Dean kept his hold on her hand and a small shiver ran down her spine. Dean sparked her interest. I mean, Sienna had been with plenty of men-goregous men. She was her father's daughter, after all. But there was something about Dean specifically...She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

She led them back outside where the decapitated dummy still sat, her sword impaled through it's middle. She let go of Dean's hand and ripped the sword out.

She sighed heavily again.

"Don't freak out," she warned them.

Then she closed her eyes. She didn't say the words out loud.

I am Sienna Gold. Daughter of Zeus, King of the Gods.

Her eyes held the familiar sting as power thrummed through her body. She could feel every ounce of electricity she was conducting.

She opened her eyes and immediately met Dean's gaze. His eyebrows shot up. She knew her eyes were blazing a mesmerizing gold. As her power grew, she saw the light gold glow that enveloped her body.

The boys were speechless, but she wasn't done yet.

She gritted her teeth and pointed the sword straight into the air, directly at the large dark cloud above them. The gold light around her intensified and a bolt of lightning shot out of the tip of her sword and into the cloud, lighting the sky like a stobe light.

When she met Dean's eyes again, his mouth was flopped open in astonishment. He blinked rapidly, his eyes adjusting to the slow dulling light around her.

She felt her father's power draining from her body. She stuck the sword back through the dummy and turned to face them.

"That was...incredible!" Sam gushed. Sienna blushed lightly, though they couldn't see.

"You're a freaking force to be reckoned with!" Dean added. Sienna laughed at his word usage.

"Do you believe me now?" She smiled sheepishly.

The boys shrugged and shook their heads, still dazed. Sam spoke, "I think we have to- I mean, I don't want to be blasted by Zeus."

She laughed again and took a wobbly step toward the house. Dean noticed her stumble and wrapped a hand under her elbow.

"Are you okay?" He looked down at her with concern.

"It's just draining," she said on a sigh.

"Well, then let's get you inside," Sam said from her other side.

...

Once inside, they found the teen the demon had been possessing awake on the kitchen floor. They talked the whole thing out with him, but decided he'd probably better go to the hospital regardless.

Sam volunteered to drive the kid to town and pick up some food for the almost dead-on-their-feet hunters.

Sienna settled into the couch in the living room and turned on a random talk-show. Dean followed her with the bottle of Jack Daniels she told him to grab out of the freezer.

Dean poured two glasses and they both drank them down immediately, so he poured two more.

He was looking at his glass when he spoke up.

"So...Zeus...and your mom? How does that..." He looked up at her.

She laughed lightly and set her glass down.

"The Gods can look however they want, and well, Zeus is a bit of a player," she smiled.

"But my mom didn't hate him. She was a hunter before I was born, and when she had me, she did what she could from here." She sighed, thinking of her mother.

"Until I was nine, anyway," she finished.

"What happened when you were nine?" Dean's curiousity overpowered his manners.

She smiled a big smile, like she was remembering a good memory.

"See these scorch marks?" She pointed to the floor underneath the couch.

"When I was nine, I was angry my mother wouldn't let me come on a hunt with her. I accidentally incinerated the couch while throwing a tantrum. She took me to Bobby after that, who searched for other kids like me. Children of the Gods."

Dean laughed loudly.

"You incinerated your couch?"

She shrugged, "I inherited my temper from Zeus and in my defense, I didn't even know I could do that. I have better control of it now, but for awhile every time I'd get mad I'd shock the crap out of anyone near me." She finished with a laugh.

"Though my eyes still glow, which really freaks people out," she laughed again.

"Wait..." Dean paused, "Did Bobby ever find more?"

"Yeah, a few. I've met a couple. A child of Athena, a child of Kali, and a child of Posiedon...he and I didn't get along." She smirked at the memory.

Dean looked weary. Like all the information he'd gotten today was physically resting on his shoulders.

"Have you ever met him? You know, Zeus?" He asked hesitantly.

"When I was thirteen, he showed up here to give me Aegis and my sword. I had just exorcised my first demon and my mom was in town. He told me I was destined to be the warrior who saves his kingdom. That I was the most powerful Godling to walk the Earth."

She could feel Dean's eyes on her face, but she didn't meet his gaze. She tipped the remaining whiskey down her throat and set the glass down.

"It's a lot of pressure for a thirteen-year-old, so I trained. I trained really, really hard," she chuckled and met his eyes.

"But, now I'm kind of a badass," she winked at him before refilling her whiskey.

"So what about you?" She lifted a brow at him.

"What about me?" Dean looked like a deer in headlights.

"I practically spilt my whole life to you, I think I deserve a little bit of spillage, Winchester." She smiled playfully at him.

He looked uneasy.

"Well, my mom died when I was real young. Sammy was just a baby." He paused. "A demon."

"I've spent almost my entire life hunting and protecting Sam."

"How did your dad die?" She whispered, trying to lessen the blow.

He clenched his jaw and looked into his glass. Sienna placed her hand lightly on his forearm, trying to let him know she understood. Dean relaxed beneath her touch and trapped her in his gaze as he whispered.

"Um, we we're hunting the demon that killed my mom and we were in a car accident. I was dying, so he traded the weapon we needed to kill the thing...and himself to save me."

Dean was obviously upset, but she didn't know what to say.

"Does...does it get better?" He whispered.

He looked into her eyes for the millionth time that night, but this time instead of amusement or even attraction, she saw sorrow.

"Not...better, but easier."

Dean sighed.

"This demon is powerful. He gives children psychic abilities. Sam is one of those children and a couple months ago...he had a fight to the death kind of challenge with all of them."

He bit his bottom lip before continuing.

"Sam was killed. Right in front of me and I...I'm supposed to protect him."

Her eyes widened and the hand on his arm tightened it's grip as she began understanding what he was telling her. Dean gave her a pleading look.

"I made a deal." He finished solemnly.

They sat in silence for a minute.

"You idiot," she whispered, looking at him sadly.

"I get that a lot," Dean smiled a crooked smile that took her breath away, but it didn't touch his eyes.

They were facing each other on the couch and when Sam walked in the door, they both jumped back. They must have started leaning toward each other sometime throughout their conversation and not noticed it. Sienna's cheeks burned with a light blush.

Sam looked between them with an eyebrow raised before setting down the fast food he'd gotten.

"What are we talking about?" He asked suspiciously.

"How Dean's an idiot," Sienna sighed.

"So you told her about the Gates?" Sam inquired.

Dean rubbed a hand down his face before replying.

"No, but you can," he grabbed a burger off the table.

Sam launched into the story about the Gates of Hell while Sienna sat there eating, halfway stunned into silence. After the story, both boys looked like puppies she was about to kick off her porch. It was obvious they blamed themselves.

"You know," she started quietly, "one thing I've learned from the study of my people..." she used air-quotes around 'my people', making them both smirk.

"It's that great heroes never have an easy journey. Some Gods are against you, some Gods are rooting for you...but you'll always make a mistake. Or loads of them- I mean, look at Odysseus or Hercules. Greatest heroes of all time, yet; they made mistakes that killed people or even themselves."

"But they didn't stop." She met both of their eyes separately. "You can't stop."

"We won't," Sam replied, looking almost vengeful. She smiled at him, but her eyes swept over to the older Winchester. She was worried he'd be reckless, now that she knew he's a dead man walking. Just in the hours she'd known the brothers, she was fond of them.

They had a bond she envyed and, whether they knew it or not, she was sure they played major roles in what was to come in her future. Zeus warned her of the trials she'd face when he swore she'd save them all.

"Sienna?" Dean waved his hand in front of her face.

"Hmm?" She asked, pulled out of her thoughts.

"You said earlier that there are more people like you."

"Yeah," she shrugged, "No telling, really, how many there are. Some might not even know."

Sam made a confused face.

"But your eyes glow and you literally shoot lightning out of your body- how could someone not know?"

"The abilities of Godlings aren't distributed...evenly." She frowned. "Others aren't as gifted as I am."

"So, what about the ones you've met?" Dean asked.

"Well, the Athena girl was just a brainiac. She had like 3 Harvard degrees by 24. But the Posideon kid was almost, if not, as powerful as me."

Sam raised his eyebrows at that. "Do you keep in touch with them?"

She made a nervous face. "No, we try to stay away from each other, actually. The God's moods affects ours, so when two Gods don't like each other..."

"Neither do you, " Dean finished, nodding.

Sam cracked a smile. "You seem like you have experience in that department."

She pursed her lips. "The son of Posiedon. Our dads are brothers. A part of the big three in Greek mythology. They...butt heads. And so did we. Within twenty minutes of knowing each other we were fighting. If it wasn't for my mom, we might have killed each other." She shrugged a shoulder.

"Did he have any crazy mojo, like you?" Dean sounded tired.

"He could control water as long as he was in it. It would also heal him- making it incredibly hard to actually hurt him. But, as long as I'm calling on my father's power, I'm just as hard to hurt. We were at an impasse." She smiled.

"So...as long as we're with you, we have Zeus' blessing?" Sam asked with a grin on his face.

"I think that's safe to say," Sienna laughed at the younger Winchester.

...

It was about four o'clock in the morning now and everyone was fighting sleep.

"I've got spare bedrooms in the back, guys," Sienna said through a yawn.

"Follow me."

She ushered them both to the back of the house and pointed out the spare bathroom. Sam hoped up quick to take a shower.

She showed Dean where the extra towels and blankets were before she turned to head back to her own bedroom.

She was leaning against the door frame watching him as he sat on the edge of the bed. She smiled sweetly at him.

"Good night, Dean," she murmured before turning.

"Wait, Sienna," He called after her before she took a step in the opposite direction.

She turned back around and raised an eyebrow, giving him a quizzical expession.

He looked slightly embarrassed. She smiled to herself and walked in, plopping down on the bed next to him. He looked down at her and she smiled the same inquisitive smile she had earlier, trying to get him to say whatever it is he needed to say.

"Did you really mean that earlier? About the Greek heroes, I mean?" He didn't take his intense gaze off of her.

"Of course I did. I wouldn't say something I don't mean."

He pursed his lips and she took notice of just how tired he really was.

"You're tired, Dean," she stood, "Go to sleep."

He stood too, now they were inches from each other. Sienna's heart started beating erratically and when she took a deep breath, he was all she could smell.

He looked down at her, bringing their faces that much closer. Sienna could feel the gold start to shine through her eyes with the increase in her heart rate. Dean took notice of this and one corner of his mouth pulled up into a sly smile.

"You could stay..." His voice had dropped huskily and it only made her heart beat harder.

She considered his offer, resting a hand on his toned chest.

Her eyes were fully ablaze now.

"Not this time, Winchester," she winked.

Dean smiled. "This time?"

She walked towards the door, feeling his eyes on her back the whole time.

She turned, one hand on the door frame.

"Sleep tight, Dean," she bit her lip lightly and kept walking.

Butterflies were erupting in her stomach as she walked away from him.

One thing was for sure- her and Dean were going to have an interesting relationship.


	4. Prophecy

BAM! 2 chapters in a week? I'm on a roll. R&R! Thank youuuuu. :):)

Dean POV

Dean opened his eyes to bright natural light shining in through the open spare bedroom door. He groaned and rolled over, wanting to escape back into the dream of the honey-colored golden eyes he'd just woken from.

He sighed and cracked one eye open at the bed across from his. Sam was already up.

He rolled out of bed and shrugged a pair of jeans on lazily. He didn't bother putting shoes on yet. He was in no hurry to leave.

He walked out of the room, barely able to remember his way around the house.

"Sam?" He called quietly. He didn't know if Sienna was up already and he assumed pissing her off was flirting with death.

Sam poked his head out of a room Dean hadn't been in yet. "In here."

Sam didn't wait for him before he pulled himself back in the room. Dean walked into a floor-to-ceiling library. Sienna's even gave Bobby's a run for his money. Sam was on the floor surrounded by open books as he flipped through a leather-bound book in a language Dean couldn't recognize.

"What are you lookin' at?" Dean slurred, half awake.

Sam looked excited, but didn't answer Dean's question, which could only mean one thing. "Sam, stop. There's nothing you can do."

Sam didn't answer him. He just continued researching. Dean sighed.

"Is Sienna up yet?"

Sam shrugged, the muscles in his jaw taut.

Dean ignored him and turned to leave.

"Did I catch a vibe...between you two?" Sam asked, finally looking up at him with an eyebrow raised.

Dean hesitated, thrown off guard. He pursed his lips and shrugged.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about."

Sam snorted through his nose. "Yeah, okay."

Dean turned to leave again, but before he was out the door, Sam spoke up again.

"Her bedroom's upstairs."

Dean didn't turn around, but he was sure his brother could here the steps creaking as he climbed to her room.

Dean stood outside the only door on the second floor for about ten minutes.

What is he doing? He and Sam could just leave and start another hunt like any other day. It was hard to admit, but he didn't want to leave. Sienna had carved a little slice of peace here and Dean wanted to stay for as long as she'd let him.

He sighed and lifted his fist. He knocked lightly once...twice...three times. He put an ear to the door and listened. Nothing.

A little concerned, he opened the door slowly.

Dean looked around Sienna's room curiously. She had old-time scrolls tacked up on the walls and even some old posters from her teenage years, he guessed. Taking most of the space in the room was a king-sized canopy bed. Sienna was curled on her side, her red curls painted across the opposite pillows.

She was breathing deeply, the rhythm of it soothing his nerves. He stood at the edge of her bed and stared at her for a minute. She had a wild assortment of freckles dotting her cheeks, only furthering her exotic beauty.

He wanted to crawl under her big black comforter and pull her to him. Dean couldn't tell if it was just lust for her that was dictating these thoughts, but he couldn't stop them and he knew if he stayed in her presence, he was bound to act upon them.

He sighed again and called her name lightly.

"Sienna...Sienna wake up."

She groaned lightly, much like he did when he woke up, and it put a small smile on his face.

Dean sat softly on the edge of the bed she was facing.

He pursed his lips again before lightly shaking her shoulder.

She gasped sharply and immediately swung her arm out, grabbing for the dagger on the bedside table.

"Woah, woah!" Dean yelled.

He grabbed each of her wrists and forcibly pinned them to the bed above her head, though it was a lot more difficult than he imagined for a woman her size. He was hovering over her now, and he looked down, directly into those honey-golden eyes.

He watched the expression on her face turn from anger to surprise when she realized it was only him.

Then they both went silent, realizing the position they were in. Dean's eyes floated in between the slowly fading gold in her eyes and her slowly curving lips.

"Are you going to let me go, Winchester?" Her voice came out low and alluring.

"Are you going to try to stab me?" He answered back.

She laughed, breaking the trance she unknowingly had him in.

Instead of releasing her, Dean kept his grip on her wrists and pulled them toward him, forcing her into a sitting position in front of him. Finally, he let her go. She used the back of her hand to rub one of her eyes while she yawned.

It reminded Dean of a kitten, but he suspected he'd get shocked silly if he brought it up.

"Are you guys leaving?" She murmured in the quiet room.

"I don't really know what the plan is..." he trailed off, plucking a stray strand of her hair and twisting it back into place without meeting her eyes.

Dean did meet her eyes then, and she smiled back at him. That was the exact moment Dean decided to say 'To hell with it' and make his move.

He placed a hand lightly on the side of her neck, his fingers splayed out in her messy hair. He felt her suck in a small breath, but she didn't move back. He trailed the tip of his nose along her jawline and she let out a breathy sigh.

His lips were an inch from hers when he heard Sam's loud footsteps climbing the stairs. Dean clenched his jaw and pulled back.

Sienna smiled crookedly at him and patted his cheek before turning to Sam in the doorway. Dean turned too, glaring at his brother hard.

"Sienna!" Sam smiled at her. "Can you translate this? It goes a little far outside my Latin."

She held her hands out for the book and Sam laid it on her lap, his fingers sliding along her bare thigh, where the blanket had fallen back, and her shorts rode up. Dean smacked the back of Sam's hand without even thinking about it.

"Ow! What the hell?" Sam exclaimed at him.

Sienna raised both eyebrows and her eyes darted between the two boys.

"Anyway..." Sienna trailed off into the silence and started reading the story. She looked back up at Sam with an almost scolding look, but continued to read.

She sighed, "I already know this one and I doubt what you're thinking will work." She gave him a pointed look.

Dean sighed, annoyed at being excluded.

Sienna squeezed his bent knee that was still on the bed and Dean unruffled.

"This is the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus was some guy super good on the lyre, and his wife died, yadda, yadda." She sighed. "He went down to the Underworld and sang or played for Hades and Persephone and they allowed him to take her back with him."

Sam hopped up and down on the balls of his feet.

"BUT..." She shot him a stony look, "it didn't work. He wasn't supposed to look back until they reached the surface, and of course, he did."

Dean stood up and faced Sam. "It's not going to work Sam. Stop looking." Dean tried to sound calm, though the trembling in his hands gave him away.

"Dean, did you hear? Hades LET that soul go. I can do it! Just let me try!" He yelled back at him.

"NE OBSTUPESCAS!" Sienna stood up, her eyes flashing gold at Sam, reflecting her anger.

"Sam, Hades made that Orpheus's condition because he KNEW he wouldn't do it. You think the God of the Underworld is going to bargain anything with a human?"

Both boys were silent at her outburst.

In a quieter voice she added, "Plus, Dean's soul is claimed. The Underworld and Hell aren't the same place." She placed a hand lightly on Sam's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Sam shrugged her hand off and met Dean's hard gaze.

"I won't stop looking." He stomped off downstairs to return to his research.

Dean collapsed back onto his seat on the bed, laying his back and head down and groaning.

He felt Sienna bounce back onto the bed, but maintained his eye contact with the ceiling.

"Dean, you've got to let him look." Sienna broke the silence.

Dean turned on his side and caught her eyes.

"If he does find some way to get me out of it...the deal is done. Sam drops dead."

"Dean." She looked at him seriously. "He's not going to find a way. No one in Hell will take his soul. He just needs to feel like he's helping something."

She sighed and climbed off the bed. Dean sat up and followed her with his eyes. She was standing in front of one of the large paper scrolls she had tacked gently to her wall.

"What does that mean?" Dean was watching her warily.

"Some of the things that have happened to you guys..." She trailed off, leaning toward the scroll.

Dean walked over to her and attempted to read over her shoulder. Her shoulders jumped a little at his sudden proximity and she stepped to the side so he could see better.

He leaned toward the scroll. The writing was extremely light and definitely in a different language.

"It talks about the Gates of Hell, and the Prince's children." She said it quietly, but it echoed off the walls around them, making the words seem colder.

"What else does it say?" Dean's voice sounded hollow.

Sienna swallowed hard and wouldn't meet his eyes.

"It's the beginning for the End of Days."

Dean whipped his head to look at her, but she was still staring blankly at the scroll.

"We- we have to stop it!" He exclaimed.

"Dean." She met his eyes finally. "We don't know the first thing about any of this." She gestured toward the scroll.

She sighed. "But I'm almost sure at least Sam is involved- well, and me." She shrugged.

"Well, what- what do we do?" Dean heard the defeat already in his voice. This was all too much.

"I think until we know anything for sure we...do what we always do." She had turned her back on the scroll and pulled the curtains open. Sunlight wrapped around her. All the dooms day bullshit flew out of his head as he caught sight of her disheveled bedhead, her checkered guys boxer shorts and oversized Black Sabbath shirt.

She smiled at his look, before turning her expression serious again. She walked toward him, so close he had to look down to maintain eye contact.

"How long do you have?" She whispered.

"About 10 months now." He whispered back.

Her eyes grew wide. "But I thought you just made that deal." She almost yelled.

Dean shrugged. "I did."

Her shoulders fell as she walked past him, but before she could get too far, Dean grabbed for her hand. She stopped and turned back toward him.

"Don't tell Sammy about this yet."

"Dean..."

"Just until I think it over a little more." He insisted.

She pressed her lips into a line. "Fine, but when he's pissed later- I'm blaming you."

He chuckled and let her hand drop.

She walked into the bathroom connected to her room, turned on the fan and lit a cigarette.

"You know, those things will kill you." He teased.

She let out a light laugh. "Cancer is the last thing I'm worried about."

Dean laid on Sienna's bed while she showered and contemplated the newest bomb he had dropped on him. The end of days? What did that even mean? The worst part was he wouldn't even be around to help Sam deal with whatever the hell was going to happen.

He closed his eyes and focused on something less painful. Sienna. God, she was hot. He wondered whether the 'godly' part of her is what made her so damn irresistable. And he was beginning to feel like he could really trust her, too. She definitely knew her shit and she didn't sugarcoat anything. She was the strongest woman he'd ever met. He was hoping he could trust her to look after Sam when he was gone.

The small door off to the side opened and his eyes popped open too. Sienna walked out in a tank top and tight athletic pants. She was toweling off her long curls. He cocked an eyebrow up at her clothes.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm going to practice." She threw a lopsided grin at him. "Wanna come try your hand?"

Dean wasn't one hundred percent sure what she meant by 'practice' but he didn't expect this. He was standing across from Sienna, holding the shortsword she'd given him the day before.

"Alright, come at me!" Sienna cried as she pointed the tip of her sword at Dean.  
"Uh...I don't want to hurt you, Gold."  
She threw her head back and laughed.  
"You won't, Winchester."

Then she thrust forward, blurringly quick, and knocked the weapon from Dean's hands. She retreated and raised an eyebrow.

"Come on, Winchester, I know you can do better than that!"

Dean grabbed his weapon and advanced toward her. Their blades flew wildly over and over again as they battled. Though almost every time, Sienna got the upperhand.

They were sweating in no time, and Dean was breathing like he'd just run sprints.

Sienna lunged forward again and whipped the blade out of his hand, but this time Dean saw it coming. He was no use with the sword, but he _was_ bigger than her.

Before she could back away safely, Dean grabbed her free wrist in a visegrip. Her eyes popped wide at his sudden move.

He pulled her into his body, twisting her around so her had her in a bear hug. He held her tight to him with his left arm and used his hands to drop the sword from her grip.

"Hey!" She cried through her laughs.

Now he had both her hands tight to her sides and she was struggling hard against his chest. His goal was to get the girl inside, because he was definitely done out in the heat.

She managed to get an arm free and immediately starting prying his hands off.

"Oh no you don't!" Now he was laughing as hard as she was.

She tried turning toward him, so Dean took lead and spun her around by her elbow. Now they were practically chest to chest. She was still struggling, which made it difficult to move her.

"You know what?" He laughed.

He let go for a literal second to wrap his arms around her thighs and throw her over his shoulder. She squeeled and hit him playfully on his chest.

Dean smiled a big and triumphant while Sienna continued to laugh and struggle.

"Eh-hem!"

Dean turned around, with Sienna still on his shoulder, to see Sam standing outside the back door, a sly smile on his face.

"Uh, Bobby's got a hunt. He's going to meet us there."

Dean's smile fell off his face and he lowered Sienna slowly to the ground, causing her to slide down the side of his body.

Registering the sudden mood change, Sam turned back to the open door.

"Uh, I'll wait in here."

Dean looked down at the red-headed girl he was already so fond of. Her lips curved up into a slow, sweet smile.

"I think that's your queue."

Dean sighed, but was reluctant to let his hold on her go. Well...she's a hunter right? His smile grew as he looked into her eyes.

"Come with us." Dean whispered.

She raised both eyebrows. "Dean, I don't usually-"

"I need to know someone will be there for Sam when..." He trailed off.

At the mention of his eventual death, she took a deep breath. Dean practically crossed his fingers waiting for her answer.

"Okay." She whispered with a small smile.


	5. The Carlsbad Hydra

GUYS. I'm sorry. I got super into The House of Night novels (RECOMMEND SO HARD) BUT I'm back!

Also, I appreciate your reviews! This chapter was SO fun to write. I hope you like it! R&R! :)

Sienna POV

Sienna was perched on the edge of her bed staring off into space- lost in her thoughts. She didn't usually hunt with people. Not that she didn't like the brothers, but it gets messy when there are too many people. She was chewing on her lip when a more mischevious thought arose in her mind.

What was this going to mean for her and Dean? I mean, it's been a day and they were already getting a little friendly. She sighed, smirking at herself, they would probably get a little more friendly in such close quarters.

She knew it would only make his inevitable death more difficult, but come on. He was a particularily attractive man who had less than a year to live. We could have some fun, right?

Sienna shook herself mentally and stood to find her huge army duffel in the top of her closet.

It was just past her reach and she hopped on her toes to try and make the distance.

Just when she almost lost her footing, Dean brushed through her open bedroom door smelling clean, with hair still wet from his shower. He placed one hand on her shoulder to steady himself as he reached over her and plucked the bag out.

He turned and dropped it on the bed. Sienna huffed a little, but turned and grabbed the bag off the bed to stuff it full of clothes, her bathroom essentials, and her specialized weapons.

"Remind me to grab Aegis." She murmured at Dean vaguely.

Dean was standing in the middle of her, her bag, and her dresser. She honestly wasn't paying him much attention. Her back was turned on him as she zipped her, now full, duffel.

"You almost ready to go?" He leaned over her and, once again, plucked her bag out of her hands.

She looked up at him with a quizzical expression.

"Uhh, yeah," she answered back hesitantly.

Dean nodded and walked out of the room, her bag in tow. Hmm. That was strange. Nevertheless, she pulled herself up off the floor and descended the stairs quickly, heading for the weapons room. She stepped through the threshold and smiled at her newly polished shield. She took it off the wall, along with her usual sword and two other small daggers.

She walked out the front door and headed for the Impala the two boys were leaning against. Dean stepped forward to meet her and held his hands open for her weapons. She raised an eyebrow and reluctantly held out her arms. Dean shied away from Aegis, turning it's face the other way. She tried to cover her laugh with a cough, but he glared at her anyway.

She turned toward Sam.

"So, what's the hunt?"

She leaned against the driver side door and looked up at Sam, squinting at the sun his profile barely blocked out.

He cracked a smile and moved so his head completely blocked the sun from her.

"You're not gonna believe it, but Bobby says a dragon."

She chuckled. "All the myths are true, right?"

Dean sauntered up to them. "We ready to go?"

Sam and Sienna both turned to get into the Impala- Sam in the passenger seat, and Sienna in the back.

"We're stopping somewhere for food- I'm STARVING." Dean complained.

"Ooooooh, stop at Shari's! They have the BEST pie!" Sienna exclaimed back, obviously excited.

The brothers shared a gaze before Dean's almost inaudible, "Now, THAT'S a woman," rang in her ears.

...

After stopping at Shari's, the gang was on the road. They left Boise behind, headed for the Carls Bad Caverns in Carlsbad, California. Normally the trip would've taken about 15 or 16 hours but with Dean's insane driving, it would only take them about 9 hours.

About halfway through the lonely Nevada desert, Dean pulled over to switch places with Sam. Grumbling about everyone else's naps, he curled onto his side and was asleep in less than five minutes. Sam popped the Metallica tape out and put it something she didn't recognize.

Sam's phone started ringing from the dashboard in front of Dean.

"Will you get that Sienna?" He whispered while making eye contact in the rearview mirror.

She leaned forward, almost completely out of her seat, and brushed against Dean's side. He grumbled again as she sat back down and flipped the phone open.

"Sam's phoooone," she answered in a sing-songy tone.

"Sienna? Is that you kid?" The familiar gruff voice asked.

"Bobby! Hi, so good to hear you're still kickin'!" She joked.

Bobby laughed, "I'm about as hard to kill as you are, small fry!"

She laughed with him. "So, what's up? We should be seeing you in about three hours."

"Yeeeeah," he drug out the word. "About that. I got roped into a wolf hunt with Rufus in Arizona. He's got more than he can handle here. You guys will be alright, won't ya?"

Sienna pursed her lips and made eye contact again with Sam. She was a little disappointed, honestly. She remembered Bobby fondly and was excited to see him.

"Yeah, I'm sure we can handle it."

"Well, the cavern the beast is in is roped off from tourists, so be on the lookout. And Sienna, be CAREFUL."

She chuckled at his concern. "We'll be fine, Bob. Call ya when it's done!"

She hung up the phone and tossed it back on the dashboard.

"Let me guess, he's bailing on us?" Sam said in a knowing tone.

She smirked, "Apparently Rufus got into some trouble with some wolves."

Sam chuckled and said, "Rufus is always getting into trouble."

Dean grunted in his sleep and turned his head toward the window.

"Um, Sienna?" Sam asked timidly.

She looked back up at him.

"I know my brother may have already talked to you, but I was thinking your knowledge of all things Greek and Latin might help me..." He trailed off.

"He did talk to me, and I'm not going to help you _per say_ , but I'm also not going to tell you to stop."

He raised his eyebrows, and she continued, shrugging.

"I get it. If I was in your situation I definitely wouldn't stop looking. Dean's too close to see that rationally."

"He expects me to just settle down and be okay with it- like we didn't just lose dad."

She nodded sympathically.

"Well, I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. I mean, it was the truth, The Otherworld and Hell aren't the same place but I could've been...nicer."

She pursed her lips.

"Hades and my dad are practically enemies and Zeus has a terrible temper..." She met his eyes sheepishly.

Sam cracked a laugh at that.

"It's okay, I get it." He reached back and ruffled her hair playfully.

"So, what have you tried so far?"

Sam sighed, "Mostly nothing. I tried a crossroads demon, but none of them will take me over Dean."

Sienna wanted to tell him why. She felt he had the right to be clued in about the upcoming shit storm they were most likely going to brave together. But her eyes landed on Dean's peacefully sleeping face and she kept her trap shut.

"Well, if you need anything translated, I'm your girl."

He smiled back at her again. "I'll hold you to that."

...

In two short hours they were parking in front of the massive cave system, The Carlsbad Caverns. Sienna and Sam continued their talk through the rest of the drive, making it seem shorter than it was. He turned the car off and Sienna reached forward and lightly poked the tip of Dean's nose. He grumbled again but didn't wake up. She poised her face right next to his ear.

"Deeeeaan," she half-sang.

"Mmmmmmmmm," Dean practically moaned.

Sienna backed up quickly and Sam and she shared an eyebrow-raised look of surprise. At the same time they both let out loud laughs- which finally woke Dean up.

"What's so funny?" He mumbled, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"What were you dreaming of?" Sam said between laughs.

"Nothing!" Dean answered too quickly.

Sam met her eyes again. "Suuuuure."

Giggling, she opened the door, stepping out of the Impala. She stretched her limbs and heard satisfying pops from her knees and shoulders.

The boys met her at the trunk.

"Do you have any idea what kind of dragon it is?" She asked Sam.

He raised an eyebrow. "Is there a difference?"

She shrugged. "I've heard some are killed with fire, some with silver- who knows?"

Dean popped the trunk and Sienna immediately grabbed Aegis.

"Well, then I guess we'll take silver, at least." Dean said, grabbing a couple blades.

Sienna grabbed her usual sword, it was silver, and turned toward the opening to the caves.

"So what's our plan?" Sam asked the other two.

"Bobby said the cavern we need is roped off. Tourists can't get down there, so find that first and go from there?"

Sam chuckled at Sienna's half-assed plan. "Better than nothing."

The three adults stashed as many of their weapons on their person as they could. Sienna's shield stuck out like a sore thumb, but there wasn't much she could do about that.

They headed into the caves, walking through the main corridor. The place was huge. Stalacites hung from the ceilings of every cave and glass-paned bridges carried them across the cavern. There were very few people in the tourist attraction today, and no tour guides as far as she could see.

They had been walking for a solid thirty minutes. Everything was available to tourists and nothing immediately screamed "dragon". Finally, they headed up and out of 'the big room' on a trail that whipped around and above 'iceberg rock'.

Once up there, they each took a trail. We would all holler if any of us found anything. About twenty minutes into her trail, she heard Sam call for her and Dean. She immediately turned and ran toward his voice. She and Dean converged in the cavern where they had separated and headed for the trail Sam took.

Sam was only about one hundred yards down the trail.

"You see it?" Dean said between pants.

"No, but..." He pointed toward a sign and a roped off trailhead. The sign read "NO ENTRY PAST THIS POINT" and several others read "DANGER" and "PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK".

We all shared a look and headed past the warning signs. The trailhead proclaimed it led to "The Devil's Den" and switchbacked down back and forth at the steepiest angle they'd seen yet. The trail continued around a corner where they couldn't see in front of them.

Sienna blew out a breathe and raised Aegis. Dean was on her right; Sam was on her left and they were both holding flashlights. They continued down the trail cautiously. Around the corner the trail got dirtier and rough. It was obvious no one had recently been down in this section.

They kept walking, trying to keep quiet and listen. The trail started to branch out in little alcoves and Sienna's eyes ran over them as they passed by. Out of the corner of her eye metal glinted off the light Dean was holding. She hesitated, and the boys stopped with her.

"What is it?" Dean murmured.

She pinched his wrist in between her forefinger and her thumb and flicked his wrist, sending the light into the alcove where she saw the metal. A completely decomposed body lay against the wall. The metal she'd seen had been the shield that lay across his thoracic cavity.

The skeleton bore metal gloves and a sword was stuck in the ground next to his body. Upon closer inspection, both femurs were broken. Sienna was bent, staring at his shield. She was sure she'd seen the insignia it bore somewhere. Just then, a rumbling shook the ground and caused pebbles to rain down on them.

She met eyes with the boys and continued on their path, the skeleton temporarily forgotten.

The cavern they were walking in seemed to connect to more and got narrower as they walked. The boys were a tad bit in front of her now. Finally, they were approaching a doorway-like opening. Looking to the sides, Sienna saw two more doorways and tunnels exactly like the one they were walking.

Something about this was too familiar. It was like she was having deja vu.

A loud snort and rush of heat filled the tiny passageway. Sienna felt her eyes start to burn and finally, it hit her.

"Shit!" She whispered under her breath and she grabbed both boys by their jackets and, with help from her father's power, pulled them with her to the wall between the openings.

A second later, fire shot through the tunnel, right where they were standing before. They were all panting and the boys looked to her, incredulous.

"Not a dragon," she panted, shaking her head. "Hydra."

"What the hell is that?" Dean whispered, panicked.

Sienna ignored him and tried to think back to the old Hercules story.

"Did anybody see how many heads it had?" She whispered. They stared at her like she was crazy.

"Fuuuuck," she groaned. She moved around Dean and peered around the wall.

The Hydra's lair was humongous. Stalacites hung at various depths from the ceiling and the sides of the cave, making convenient step ups they could use. A river of stale, green water cut the room in half. Then, finally, she saw the beast. With leathery, green-brown skin and yellow patches the snake-like body of the Hydra laid in the river. With a small roar, it lifted it's heads.

Four. The Hydra had four heads, each decorated with purple spikes above their eyes. They swiveled around each other on skinny necks. It's attention was on the far wall, and Sienna had to stretch around the corner to see what it was focused on.

Dean's hand wrapped around her forearm.

"Don't go too far!" He whispered frantically.

She stretched a little further and saw a man cowering in a crevasse between two large stalacites. He was dressed in rock climbing gear. The Hydra was nipping at him, but couldn't get to him fully. She heard the man cry out.

Dean pulled her back with both arms when she tried to take another step in.

"There's someone in there," she said shaking her head.

"Well, we need to make a plan before we go running in there!" Sam gestured wildly toward the giant room.

"Okay, okay, okay," she leaned against the wall.

If she could remember right, Hercules killed the Lernean Hydra by cutting off the heads and immediately cauterizing them. She looked down at her hands. Could she use her electricity to do that?

She bit her lip. He also had a blade from Athena that assured the creature's death. Like a lightbulb was above her, the idea hit her suddenly.

She laughed and squeezed Dean's hand that was still around her arm.

"That's it!" She exclaimed and raced down the tunnel back the way they came.

When she happened upon the clean skeleton, she dropped to her knees. The boys were only a few seconds after her. She rubbed the dust off the crest on the shield that had originally caught her eye. The insignia was that of an owl situated in front of two olive branches.

"Athena!" She whispered in awe.

She looked at the sword that stuck in the ground. It wasn't even tarnished. Sienna took in the metal gloves on the corpse and had a good guess as to what the sword was made of. But she had to be sure. She took two big breaths and used a hand to cover her own mouth- to stifle her screams.

She reached out with her other hand and gripped the blade. She'd been right to cover her mouth. She couldn't stop the cries that came out without her permission. She let go quickly and stared down at the charred burns on her palm and fingers. Smoke still rose from the wound.

"What is that?!" Dean exclaimed as he blew away the smoke still lingering around them.

"Celestial bronze," she wheezed out. "It's extremely rare and kills almost anything supernatural. Including Godlings." She held her hand up to them.

She stood and gestured toward the sword.

"So, who's playing Hercules?"

The boys looked back and forth between each other. She rolled her eyes.

"Look, I can't touch the thing."

Dean shrugged and grabbed the hilt, pulling the sword out of the ground. His eyes went wide.

"It's warm," he said, surprised.

Sienna shrugged. "It's from the Gods."

Her words seemed to echo around them.

"Okay, here's the plan. Dean, you'll be cutting off the heads. You need to watch me. Make sure I'm there and don't go too fast. If I don't cauterize the stump in time two more heads will grow in it's place."

"I'll try to get the guy out," Sam said resolutely.

"Make a lot of noise too, it will disorient it!"

Sam grabbed the shield off the skeleton. "Got it!"

"One more thing..." Sienna trailed off biting her lip.

The boys waited for her to finish with looks of anticipation.

"Remember the first time I showed you my power? How I almost fell over? Well...I'm doing that times four right now, so if I pass out after, it's normal. I'll heal. If you're worried, take me to high ground. The sky helps."

She nodded and turned back toward the opening. Dean rested a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head toward him.

"You'll be okay?" He asked.

She smiled. "I'll be okay."

They all turned and started marching toward the beast. Once inside the giant cave Sienna grabbed Dean's arm. She pointed to low hanging stalacites poking out of the wall of the cave where she could easily get at the monster. He nodded and they took off. Sienna said the words she needed to boost her power.

"I am Sienna Gold. Daughter of Zeus, King of the Gods."

Power flowed through her as she ran behind the beast. The Hydra raised two of it's heads and sniffed the air like a dog. Its heads turned towards her as if it recognized the scent of long-forgotten Greek power. She needed to coax it toward her and Dean. She caught sight of Sam hiding in between two stalacites the way the other man was.

She stepped the opposite way and ran up toward the Hydra. On the balls of her feet, she unsheathed her sword and drove it deep into it's tail, then pulled it out just as quick and darted toward the area she'd pointed out to Dean earlier.

The Hydra roared and snapped two of it's jaws toward her. It roared again and the other two snapped towards it's feet, where Dean had run earlier. Dean ran in front of it, straight towards her. She smiled and jumped onto the first stalacite and onto the next and the next until she was about thirty feet in the air.

The monster turned toward us and stomped. All of it's focus was on them, though she thought she heard Sam's insistent banging on the borrowed shield. She thought she saw Sam ushering the terrified man along the back wall.

"Sienna!" Dean called.

Her gaze whipped around to find him. As soon as her attention was on him, he jumped forward and sliced the closest head clean off. Sienna concentrated and with a grunt she shot a bolt that struck in the middle of the flopping, headless tendon.

The Hydra gave another roar. One of the remaining heads reared back and snapped at Dean. He raised his sword and the head backed off, repelled by the celestial bronze. While she was watching that another head raised to meet her. Instead of snapping, it took a deep breath and she jumped to a lower perch and crouched, pulling Aegis above her head.

Fire scorched her shield and warmed where her shield touched her skin.

"Sienna, get ready!"

She felt the heat wave halt and immediately pushed her palm out. Zeus's power engulfed her, bathing her in a soft gold glow. The second head was gone and cauterized.

"Dean keep going!" She yelled.

He jumped onto the lowest stalacite under her and pushed off, slicing through the third head. Purple blood sprinkled around them, and Sienna used both hands, sending a blast bigger than both strikes before. The blast sent the Hydra spinning uncontrollably until the last head was poised right in front of Dean. He simply walked over and finished the deed.

Sienna jumped off the top ledge to a lower one and held her hand out one last time.

The monster convulsed once and didn't move again.

Sienna jumped to the cave floor and met Dean. He was catching his breath and shaking his head.

"If you would have told me I would fight a real-life monster like this, I would have laughed."

Sienna did laugh. "What are werewolves and vampires? Puppies and kittens?"

Sienna was still slightly glowing and the sting in her eyes was only slowly draining, so when Dean looked down at her he seemed a little star-struck.

"You did amazing!" She pushed on his chest playfully.

He smiled that gorgeous crooked smile down at her and was probably going to say something cheeky when she felt the last reserves of her father's power leave her body.

She reached for Dean, and his eyes widened with realization.

"I've gotcha." Dean murmured. His arms slipped around her as the darkness took over.

...

She opened her eyes to a dusk sky. The stars had just started dotting the sky and the moon hung high, blazing a full moon's silver. She took a deep breath. God, she was tired.

As she awoke, she realized a few things. One: It was night already. Hadn't they gone in the caverns at like four o'clock? Two: Last she knew, she was inside the caverns, where the stars would definitely not be visible. And three: She was laying against someone warm and firm.

She shifted and put a hand on the ground to help herself up. She sucked in a sharp breath and whimpered. The hand she'd used was the same one that was charred to a crisp from the celestial bronze. She cradled the hand to her chest and rolled onto her side. She took deep breaths to clear the sharp pain.

"Hey, are you okay?" A quiet voice inquired.

The person she was laying on sat up.

She was burying her head in their stomach.

"I forgot about my hand." She wheezed into their side.

A hand ran over her curls. Must be Dean, she decided.

She slowly lifted her head and looked around. They were laying on a grassy hill with small outcroppings of rock sticking out of the ground periodically.

"Where are we?" Sienna mumbled still mostly laying on the Winchester brother.

"Above the caverns. It was the closest high ground I could find." Dean shrugged.

She inhaled the distinct scent of desert sage and smiled at him.

"Thank you. It feels good to be up so high." Then she realized what had to have happenedwith a glance over the steep hillside. "Did you carry me all the way up here?"

Dean bristled a little, probably embarrassed.

"Well, yeah. You were out like a light. And you've been out for almost an hour..." He trailed off. Her eyebrows rose.

"Oh. It's never been that long before."

She pulled herself into a sitting position and Dean offered his arm for her to lean against. She still wasn't a hundred percent, but she was getting better by the minute. She uncurled her hand and took a look at the damage. The burn was healing at an accelerated rate compared to normal humans, but it was still slow for her.

There were white pocket blisters raised on her middle finger and the top of her palm. Dark red scorch marks peppered all the other skin of her palm. She sucked in through her teeth.

Dean took the hand in his and studied the wound.

"It needs to be dressed, but it'll heal." He reassured her.

She let her hand drop and met his eyes.

"I think you gave Hercules a run for his money." A playfully smile tugged the corners of her lips up.

Dean snorted. "You looked like a goddess up there, just making lightning your bitch."

Her laugh rung out echoing around them. "I'm no goddess."

She leaned against him harder with her shoulder.

"But really. Thank you for taking care of me." Her voice had dropped to a whisper.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, putting most of her weight on him. He slipped his arm around her, dropping his shoulder so she had to snuggle in closer. She was so comfortable, but her heart was racing.

Dean leaned away and Sienna tilted her head up to look at him. He smiled tentatively and slid his free hand along her neck, tangling it up in her messy curls. Her breath caught in her throat and she was sure the gold was starting to shine out of her eyes.

He tightened the arm around her waist and pulled her head up with a slight movement. Sienna closed her eyes and a second later, the lightest feather-touch of his lips erupted butterflies in her stomach.

She leaned into him and he tightened the arm around her waist even more. She was practically in his lap, but it didn't feel close enough. She had bunched the front of his shirt in her fists. When they both needed to breathe Dean pulled back, resting his forehead against hers as they panted in time together.

"You guys hungr-" Sam cut off as Dean and Sienna backed away from each other a little.

"There's food in the car." He turned around and started making his way down the steep hill shaking his head and chuckling.

Dean stood and held his hand out for her. She took it with the non-burnt hand. She swayed a little as she stood and Dean moved closer to help. She almost lost her footing and she had a slight tremble in her hands.

Dean pulled her arm around his neck so he could support her weight and leaned forward to peck her cheek.

"Let me help you, C."

Sienna blushed. She held on to Dean as they trekked down the steep hill.

 _Is this a good thing or a bad thing?_

That last thought swirled around Sienna's mind for the rest of the night.


	6. Cicero

Okay y'all. The story is about to pick up pace! We're into season 3 now! Tell me what you think! R&R! :)

Dean POV

 _"Another bride, another June."_

Dean's eyelashes fluttered open.

 _"Another sunny honeymoon. Another season, another reason. For makin' whoopee."_

The softly sung words soothed him as he looked around for their source. The curtains of another non-descript motel room were pulled tightly shut keeping the mid-day sun out of the room. Sienna's duffel bag was open, various clothing strewn around the one table in the place. Dean's own clothing was thrown haphazardly on the floor.

 _"A lot of shoes. A lot of rice. The groom is nervous, he answers twice."_

The gentle singing caught his attention again. It was coming from the bathroom, the only light in the room spilling from the crack under the door. Dean closed his eyes again- lulled by her voice. He re-lived the last couple of weeks in his head.

After the Hydra, they drove to Bobby's to take a little break and let Sienna heal properly. Her hand was seriously crispy-crittered. She made them keep the celestial bronze sword to use later. Bobby had been ecstatic about Sienna's arrival. Apparently she was the sassiest nine-year-old he'd ever met.

They stayed at Bobby's for a week, just killing time. Sam continued his damned research- no matter what he said. Sienna translated when he asked, even though she cringed away from Dean's glares. Sienna served as a middle ground between the brothers, which Dean was grateful for. She diffused fights and made them come to agreements. Dean was happier around the girl, and it seemed like Sam was, too.

Though, to his dismay, he hadn't been able to get Sienna alone often.

After their kiss at the Carlsbad Caverns, the only thing he'd been able to do was caress her where her skin showed, always out of sight of Bobby. Bobby had practically started acting like her dad and he knew he'd get ripped to pieces by the older man if he'd seen Dean's interest.

He smiled as he remembered a night where they'd been having a couple beers at the kitchen table. She was leaning on the back of the chair he sat in and Bobby had been snoring noisily on the couch.

It was two in the morning and he'd asked why she was still awake.

"I guess I'm just not tired." She'd whispered, a sly smile pulling up one corner of her mouth.

He'd traced the tip of his finger along her collarbone before he looked up into her eyes. The gold in them just started to bloom.

But before he could suggest they go tire each other out, Bobby's snores had stopped. His finger was still tracing her skin when Bobby's voice caused them to jump away from each other guiltily.

"What are you doing up?" He grumbled.

His gaze jumped between the two of them and his eyes narrowed.

"Just havin' a beer, Bob, nothing to worry about." Sienna called back to him, but his eyes were locked with Dean's in a death glare.

Sienna turned and dropped her bottle in the trash.

"Night, boooys." She sang as she skipped up the stairs.

And finally, they decided they'd go to a new hunt- the hunt that ended last night. The seven deadly sins were causing chaos in Nebraska. They would've been screwed if that demon, Ruby, hadn't stepped in, though Dean hated to admit that.

He didn't trust that 'girl' as far as he could throw her.

He was pissed last night about Ruby, and Issac's death, so he took off to the local bar right down the street from their motel and that's where Sienna found him. He hadn't even had one full drink yet when she'd plopped down next to him. She didn't say anything and Dean didn't look up to meet her eyes.

Then, some Nebraskian asshole in a cowboy hat and boots sauntered up to their table and ordered a double shot of whiskey for Sienna. She'd raised an eyebrow at his smug look.

"How you doin' missy?" He'd said.

She scoffed. "You're serious?"

The guy placed an arm around her shoulders and began pulling her stool toward him while Sienna looked absolutely floored. The stool scooted less than six inches when Dean's foot caught the rung on the bottom.

The cowboy looked up at him.

"Keep. Walking." Dean sounded gruff and mean.

"You gonna let him speak for you, honey?" The cowboy had his mouth inches from Sienna's ear and Dean could tell she was done with it.

Blindingly quick her hand went around his throat and she squeezed. She made eye contact with the man and her eyes started to change.

A sickly, sweet smile tugged her lips up at just the corners.

"Better listen to him, _honey_."

She pushed him back as she let go of his throat and he stumbled away coughing. The bartender emerged with her drink then, setting it down in front of her. She picked it up and lifted it to the cowboy.

"And thanks for the drink." She winked at him and finally turned to meet Dean's eyes.

Dean stared at her in awe for a couple seconds and then busted up laughing. He laughed so hard he had to wipe tears from his eyes.

"Cowboys not your type?" Dean teased once he stopped laughing.

She snorted. "God, not like that. I don't let my men boss me around."

Dean leaned a little forward then.

"You know, some men like their women headstrong." His voice was huskier than he'd meant it to be.

She tipped her drink back, finishing the remaining whiskey.

"You're a rare breed." Her voice was low and alluring.

She stood suddenly and plucked his drink from in front of him. She sipped it gingerly and Dean raised an eyebrow at her.

"I booked my own room, you know, in case it's...crowded with Sam." She said it slowly, a glint to her golden eyes that Dean knew all too well.

She smiled slyly and put the, now empty, glass back on the table. Without another word she turned around and started for the door. Dean threw a five on the table and hurried after her, his heart racing.

Dean caught up to her in seconds, placing his hands on her hips and leaning down so his head was buried in her hair. She sighed heavily. She kept walking and his steps mirrored hers, picking up pace.

As they passed vacant rooms, looking for hers, Dean peppered her neck and shoulders with light kisses, making her giggle breathlessly. She stopped in front of a door and Dean took his opportunity. He spun her around and stepped forward, pressing her against the door. He wasted no time pressing his lips to hers hungrily. Sienna moaned quietly into his mouth.

She was fiddling with the key card until finally the lock clicked and Dean opened the door, pulling her with him. He flung the door closed, lifted her by the back of her thighs, and pressed her against it. He was peppering her neck again when she-

His thoughts were cut off by the sound of the bathroom door opening.

He felt her sit at the edge of the bed, opposite from where he was. He opened his eyes and turned toward her. She was toweling off her curls and humming to the tune of whatever song she was singing when Dean woke up.

She was barely dressed, just sitting in a tank top and underwear. Heat flushed through him at the sight of her. He closed his eyes again until he got himself under control.

When he could, he raised both arms and yawned, obviously showing her he was awake.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty." She beamed a smile at him before standing to rifle around in her bag.

Dean watched her with a content smile on his face. He really hoped this was going to be a regular occurance. Dean yawned again.

"What're you getting all ready for?"

"Sammy wants to meet at the diner down the road. Said he had something you'd be interested in. So if I "saw you" to tell you to get your cute butt down there."

He smirked at her word choice. She walked over and tossed his clothes at him. When she went to turn around, Dean grabbed for her hand.

She turned back to him.

"What..." He paused.

"What are we calling...this?" He asked timidly.

She knew he was a dead man, so Dean wasn't at all sure what she was expecting from him.

"Dean." She sat next to him.

Her eyes lingered on his bare chest and her fingers ran over the accidental scratches she'd inflicted on his shoulders. When she met his eyes again the gold was almost fully blazing. She shook her head slightly and cleared her throat.

"We don't have to call it anything. We're adults, we're both hot, and we had sex." She shrugged.

He barely heard her. Those honey-golden eyes entrapped him.

"Okay." He whispered.

Then he grabbed her chin lightly in between his thumb and pointer finger. He kissed her softly. His lips hardly grazed hers, but the spark was like a sort of drug. She responded just as quickly tilting her head slightly. He pulled back. She smiled and patted his cheek.

Sienna turned around and headed towards the door.

"Hurry and get ready. I'll order you something."

"Will you get me pie?"

She opened the door and laughed.

"I will get you pie." She winked before closing the door behind her.

Dean just sat there for another couple of minutes. He was still dumbstuck about the whole situation. Sienna and he had sex...and she wasn't looking for any kind of commitment? He just wasn't used to it.

He finally got up and headed for the shower. Though it was the ideal situation, Dean couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't due to die in nine months, would she feel differently? Would he? He wished, not for the first time, that he'd met Sienna earlier.

Now fully dressed, he headed out the door to find her and his brother.

He saw them half-arguing from the large store-front window. He raised an eyebrow and walked in. As he approached them, Sam slammed his laptop shut and smiled up at Dean conspicuously. Dean raised an eyebrow.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Just...ordering pizza."

Dean looked at Sienna who had her hand covering her mouth, hiding her laugh.

"You realize we're in a restaurant?"

A laugh escaped Sienna's hand. Sam glared at her across the table.

She scooted over in her booth as a waitress came with three plates. Dean sat next to her and took a look at what she ordered him. Sunny-side up eggs with hashbrowns, bacon and sausage, and just when he was about to be disappointed, a huge slice of huckleberry pie was sat next to his breakfast.

He practically moaned. " _You_ are an angel."

He pointed at Sienna with his fork. She cracked a smile and stole a bite of his pie.

"So what's this thing I'd be interested in?" He asked Sam, mouth full of food.

Sam slapped a newspaper down in front of him. The article told about a man who'd fallen on his own power saw in Cicero, Indiana.

"Isn't that girl you were talking about in Cicero, Indiana?" Sam asked.

Dean stammered and stared wide-eyed between Sam and Sienna. How could Sam not read the obvious signs? Sienna wasn't paying them any attention. She was focused on her food probably not even listening.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Dean tried to clue Sam in, gesturing with his eyes to Sienna. After some awkward silence and off-hand gestures, Sienna finally looked up from her food and raised her eyebrows at both boys staring at her.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"I don't know, I was just suggesting Dean go see this girl he was talking about a week or so ago." Sam shrugged.

Dean froze and met Sienna's eyes.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Oh Gods, Dean, I'm not your girlfriend."

She stole another bite of his pie.

"Go see her."

Dean sat back, suprised. "Uh, well, okay. There could actually be a case there though. Maybe you should come with me."

He could hear the false tone of his voice. Sienna looked at him with a confused expression.

"Well, I'll be distracted. We should have somebody that's actually there for the hunt."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What about me?"

"You're always distracted now." Dean waved a hand dismissively at him.

Sienna shook her head lightly. "Okay, I guess."

...

Dean dropped Sam off at the hotel and Sienna climbed to the front seat next to him.

"Are you sure you want me to come with you?" She asked.

"Yeah. At least, right now. We've got to figure out if there's anything here. If there's not, then I'll drop you off." He shrugged.

She pursed her lips but didn't protest.

In all honesty, Dean didn't know why he wanted her with him, just that he did.

They pulled up to the address Dean had written down and noticed the street was filled with cars. Dean didn't think much of it as he walked up the driveway, Sienna in tow. He knocked on the door twice and waited.

Lisa Braden, the brunnette yoga teacher he'd spent a few crazy nights with, answered the door and stared up at him with wide eyes.

"Dean." She sounded suprised by his sudden arrival.

"Lisa."

They stared at each other for a minute before Lisa's eyes finally moved past him and took in the small red-headed girl behind him. Her face fell as she took in Sienna. Dean felt kind of bad. He hadn't thought of how Lisa would react to Sienna. Just the other way around.

She stammered slightly. "T-this must be your-"

" _Friend_." Sienna pushed forward and held her hand out to Lisa, blazing one of her million-dollar smiles at her.

Lisa blinked rapidly, a little dazed by Sienna's light. Dean wondered if everyone was as dazzled by the Godling as he was.

"I'm just along for the ride." Sienna winked at her and took a step back.

"Well, this is a weird time- we're having a party."

Dean smiled. "I love parties."

Lisa hesistated. "Well, okay." She opened the door all the way and ushered them in, staring at Sienna as she walked by them both.

They walked out to the backyard. There were kids running around everywhere, a bounce house, and a table full of kid-sized treats. Dean instantly felt out of place. His gaze found Lisa.

"Who's the party for?"

"Ben. My son." Lisa answered nonchalantly.

Sienna's brows shot up. She was in between him and Lisa.

"I'm going to go...be somewhere else." And she took off.

Lisa walked up to Dean.

"Well she's...stunning." She gestured to Sienna who was getting herself a drink.

Dean chuckled. "She has that effect on people."

"Does she have that effect on you?"

"Oh yeah." He shook his head. "But she's...j-just a friend."

Dean's eyes finally left Sienna to look up at her.

Lisa snorted. "Yeah, that was a lie."

Then she looked back at someone who'd just gotten here.

"Give me a second, okay?" She trotted off.

Dean turned and headed towards the dessert table. He chuckled at the racecar-cake. When he was that age he would have loved that. He watched the kid Lisa had pointed out as Ben open an AC/DC CD and freak out over it.

He decided to walk over and talk to the kid.

"Hey Ben, I'm Dean. Pretty cool party."

"I know, it's sweet! And did you see that Moon Bounce? It's epic!"

Dean stared at the kid with wide eyes. Just then, Sienna made her way to him.

"Hey, so how's it going with-"

"Woah!" Ben said staring at Sienna.

She raised an eyebrow at him. He walked up to her and took her hand, kissing the back of it.

"This is my party." He said as Dean watched with his jaw practically on the floor.

"Yeah..." She waited for him to continue.

"Will you come in the Moon Bounce with me?"

When Sienna didn't say anything he tugged on her hand.

"Come on, babe, it's my birthday!"

Dean broke free of his shock then.

"Hey!" He swatted his hand lightly from hers.

"What? You didn't call dibs." He shrugged at Dean.

Sienna was trying to hold back a laugh when he winked at her.

"Go to your Moon Bounce." Dean said dismissively.

As soon as the kid was gone, Sienna was at his side.

"Is he...yours?" She stage whispered to him.

Dean blanched and tried not to panic. He had been thinking it, but it felt more real when she said it outloud.

"Wh-why would you say that?"

"Um, 'Come on, babe, it's my birthday' and the 80's rock and he's turning _eight_." She paused. "Should I go on?"

Dean felt sweat bead on his palms. He knew he probably looked like he wanted to bolt.

"You need to talk to her." Sienna sighed and pushed him toward the house.

Dean looked back at Sienna through the large dining room window. She had been approached by three different men, though her attention wasn't on any of them. She was staring with a narrowed-eyed concentration on a little girl. The girl wasn't playing like the other kids. She just stood there like a statue.

Lisa called Dean's attention back as her friend took her leave. Dean tried to seem non-chalant as he talked about Ben.

"Are you asking me if he's yours?" Lisa asked.

"Is he mine?" Dean could hear the panic seeping into his voice.

"No." Lisa chuckled and shook her head.

Sienna rushed up to him, oblivious to Lisa's presence.

"Hey, did that kid seem weird to you? She just left and-" She stopped when she saw Lisa.

Her eyes were big and the gold had started to burst out around her pupils.

"I'm...interrupting something." She started backing out of the room when Lisa spoke up.

"The girl you're talking about just lost her dad. She's just grieving." Lisa sounded defensive.

Sienna held her hands up in a fake surrender.

"I'm sure you're right." Sienna sounded sympathetic but she was giving Dean a look he knew.

Dean smiled kindly at Lisa. "Give me just a second."

He walked over to Sienna and dragged her to a spot where Lisa could still see them, but not hear their conversation. He could feel her eyes on them.

"What's up?" He whispered, all business.

"Get more information about that family. The mom looked terrified of her kid."

"Who isn't terrified of kids?" He asked frantically.

She laughed a little louder than he wanted her to.

"Plus what if Lisa's right and they're just grieving?" He asked again.

"I'm the one working remember?" She pushed his chest with a finger. "You're distracted."

He caught her finger in his.

"Well, I'm _usually_ distracted when you're working with us."

She rolled her eyes at him, but he thought he saw a small blush rise on her pale cheeks.

"Come get me when you're ready to leave." She patted his cheek and walked out the backdoor.

He turned back to Lisa and smiled awkwardly. He'd kind of forgotten why he was here.

Eeriely echoing his thoughts, Lisa asked "What are you doing here Dean?"

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well..." She sat next to him at the kitchen table.

"At first, I thought you might be here for me." She sounded resigned.

"But you are so obviously into that girl out there. Does she know?"

Dean looked at her with almost-faked surprise. He came here for Lisa, didn't he?

"I came here for you." He murmured guility.

Lisa sighed. "So she doesn't know."

Dean felt the skin between his eyes pinch. He didn't come here to talk about Sienna. He pursed his lips at her.

"So your friend is the wife of the guy from the newspaper?"

Lisa rolled her eyes but nodded anyway.

"I guess there's been bad luck in the neighborhood lately." She sighed.

"What kind of bad luck?"

...

 **Sienna POV**

Dean and Sienna left Lisa's and headed back towards the motel room.

"So what did you find out?" Sienna prodded as soon as they were alone.

"Well, Lisa says he's not mine..." Dean trailed off.

Sienna paused and cleared her throat.

"Well, I was asking about the case, but...is that good or bad?"

Dean pursed his lips.

"So, anyway, there have been four or five 'accidents' in the town lately. At all of them, the kids were the only ones home."

Sienna shivered. "Killer kids. Now _that's_ a horror movie."

Sienna was watching Dean closely. She couldn't tell if seeing Lisa had brought up his spirits or dampened them.

"You gonna drop me off?"

Dean blinked like she pulled him out of his thoughts.

"I think I'm going to go to the park and see how the kids interact with each other. You can come if you want."

She chuckled nervously. "Kids aren't my strong suit."

Dean laughed as he turned onto the road the motel was on. He pulled up outside of Sam and his' room and Sienna popped the door open. Dean's hand came down on her wrist before she could jump out.

"Thanks. For...you know."

She raised a brow but answered with a "You're welcome, Winchester," anyway.

Finally escaping the Impala, she opened the door to Sam's motel room to run smack into a nicely-dressed Sammy. His giant hands wrapped around her shoulders to steady her before she fell back. When she finally had her footing she looked up at him.

"Where you heading off to?"

"I'm 'the insurance adjuster.' I was going to go check out a few of the crime scenes. Want to tag along?"

"Yeah, let me just get dressed."

She walked to her room next door and unzipped her duffel. She had a skirt in there somewhere. She pulled out her black skater skirt and a button-up olive green blouse. She put them on, paired with her only pair of heels, and knocked on Sam's door.

He opened the door.

"Spiffy." He winked at her and she chuckled.

Sam had called for a taxi twenty minutes before, so by the time she was ready they could just slide in the backseat. The first accident site they visited was where a man had slipped off a ladder.

Sam was talking to the widow and Sienna's eyes wandered, searching for clues of a demonic possession or anything supernatural, really. Her gaze caught at the window next to the ladder. A little girl was death glaring her through the glass. Goosebumps raised on her arms and the back of her neck. Then Sienna's eyes caught on a peculiar red splotch on the window seal.

Sienna walked back towards Sam and the widow. When she looked away she pointed Sam toward the window seal. They shared a look and Sam turned back to the grieving wife.

"I think that's all we need. We'll get out of your hair now."

The two other houses they visited that day were the same. They all had creepy death glare children and they all had red smudges on the children's window seals.

They had gone back to the motel. Sienna bounced onto the bed and Sam was on his laptop. He'd googled as much as we knew about the creatures in this town and he came up with tons of lore for a changeling.

Dean walked in then.

"There's something wrong with the kids in this town."

"Yeah, you're telling me." Sienna scoffed.

Dean leaned down to look at Sam's laptop. "Changelings?"

Then, seemingly exhausted, he collapsed onto the bed next to Sienna. He tugged lightly on the end of her skirt.

Dean sat up again. "Wait, so any of the kids in this town are vulnerable?"

Sam sighed and agreed before shutting his laptop and grabbing the makeshift torches we'd made.

"Then we have to stop somewhere first, then."

"Dean, if those kids are being held somewhere they probably don't have a lot of time."

"We've got to, Sam."

Sienna changed out of her skirt in record time and met the boys just as Dean was starting the Impala. He made it to Lisa's in just a few minutes and Sienna stood halfway out of the car, poised to run to help if needed.

Dean came running back.

"Ben's gone."

Sienna grabbed one of the torches and stepped out of the car. Dean looked at her like she was crazy.

"I can stay here. If shit gets crazy, I'll protect her."

He stared up at her, incredulous. "You'd do that?"

"Dean we _don't_ have time for mushy stuff. Just go!"

He nodded and took off down the street. Sienna approached the house carefully. She couldn't be seen. She was peering in the living room window. The super-expressive kid she'd been hit on by earlier was replaced with a straight-faced creepy monster. Lisa turned her back and walked a little away from him.

Just then Sienna heard her gasp. She'd seen something in the fake-Ben that tipped her off. Sienna prepared herself to run in. She watched Lisa lunge for her car keys and run towards the door. Sienna turned to meet her and came face-to-face with three other changeling kids.

Lisa had made it out the door and was right next to Sienna. She looked at the children in front of her and back to Sienna.

"What the hell is going on?" She cried.

"They're not real children." Sienna whispered back to her.

"And you know what they are? How to keep them away from us?"

Sienna sighed. "Well, I can't exactly torch them in front of all your neighbors."

"Fair point." She whispered back.

"Let's get back in the house. We don't want to call anymore attention than we already have."

Sienna held the torch out to the three other kids.

"Take one step and I'll torch you."

They backed slowly to the door, slammed it and locked it. When they turned around, Ben was standing in the living room again smiling creepily.

"I love you mommy."

Sienna shivered again. Creepy kids were the worst. She placed herself between the changeling and Lisa. "Stay behind me."

The Ben-creature sneered at her. "Give me my mommy."

He sounded like a kid, but darker. Heavier. The things nightmares are made out of. The kid lunged for her and Sienna let the torch flame. In a horrible shriek, the thing went up in flames and in a matter of seconds it was dust.

Miraculously, none of the furniture showed signs of the scorching flame. But before they could breathe a sigh of relief, the other kids were pawing at the front door. The door burst and Sienna swept Lisa behind her with an arm. The kids charged forward and Sienna let lose the torch on all three.

When they were all dust, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She turned around to find a horrified Lisa, tears running down her cheeks. Sienna set down the torch and the woman barreled into her arms. Sienna was shocked, but she hugged her back and reassured her everything was okay now. When she had pulled herself together, she leaned back.

"Where is Ben?" She whimpered.

Just then she heard the rumble of the Impala's engine.

"Hopefully, he's here." Sienna squeezed her hand.

Lisa held onto her hand like a lifeline as they went to meet the boys in the driveway. Ben jumped out of the back of the Impala and Lisa let go of her hand to hug Ben. Lisa hugged Dean to her.

"Thank you." She cooed.

Sienna smiled at the scene and turned towards the Impala, but before she could step away Lisa swept her into another hug and thanked her as well.

Finally, she walked back to the car and leaned up by Sam.

"We'll give you guys some time." He called up to Dean and Lisa.

From the backseat of the car, Sienna's ringtone stared to play steadily. She reached back for it and took a look at the Caller ID. RAINA lit up the screen and Sienna got an unexpected wave of fear. Goosebumps raised on the back of her neck and Sam took notice.

"Is everything okay?" He looked at her concerned. She smiled a smile that was supposed to be reassuring, but it seemed it had the opposite effect.

She walked to the back of the Impala, sat on the trunk, and flipped the phone open.

"Hey, Ray, what's up?" She tried to sound nonchalant.

 _Sienna! Oh, thank the Gods you answered!_

Raina sounded winded and terrified, only furthering the panic that began to bloom in the pit of her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Sienna lowered her voice, but she suspected Sam could still hear her.

 _I-It's bad! Very, very bad!_

She started rambling, enough so that Sienna couldn't understand her. A child of _Athena_ who couldn't get her thoughts straight? Oh, Gods.

"Ray, what is going on? What did you see?"

Sienna didn't even try to keep her voice low now. Sam was actively listening and Dean had just emerged from the house and was heading her way.

 _I can't be on the phone long. Neither should you! I'm in New York City! Get here!_

The phone went dead.

"Raina? Raina?"

Frustrated, she snapped the phone shut and hopped off the Impala. Both of the boys bombarded her with questions immediately.

"Who was that?"

"What's going on?"

Instead of answering them, she took two big breaths, steadying her nerves. Her eyes started to burn with the anticipation of this new hunt.

"Unfortunately, we have to go our separate ways for awhile boys."

Sam looked a little upset, but he nodded in understanding. Dean looked hurt- like she'd physically stabbed him instead of verbally.

"Why?" Dean said with no emotion.

"The girl I talked about before, the child of Athena, is in trouble and she needs my help."

"Then we'll all go." Dean shrugged.

"Dean."

"There's no reason to go off on your own. You're more vulnerable that way. We can _help_."

"No, Dean, you can't. I have no idea what I'm walking into but _I've_ fought Greek myths as much as I have regular monsters. It would be irresponsible and you know it."

She sighed. "Plus, Raina really doesn't _like_ mortal men. She'd rather face three Hydra alone then have your help and there's not much I can do to change that."

Dean bristled. He looked angry, but he didn't say anything.

"Will you take me to a rental car lot?"

"Get in." He murmured without looking in her direction.

The car ride was pretty much silent. She didn't want to leave things like that with Dean, but he pretty much refused to acknowledge her. Finally, Sam spoke up for her.

"Dean, you know she's right. She's a part of a whole world that we don't know- didn't grow up knowing. If a regular person tried to kill a vamp without knowing what we know they'd be killed. It goes the same way. Don't be a dick."

Dean met her eyes in the rearview mirror and sighed, but still remained silent.

They got to the car lot and Sienna got herself a car in under twenty minutes. She followed the Impala to the motel they were staying at. When she got out, Dean was pulling out Aegis and her usual weapons. He slid them in the trunk of the little red car she'd been given.

She walked to her room and turned to grab her duffel. When she turned back around Dean was standing in the doorway. She let the duffel fall to the bed and stared up at him, waiting for him to speak.

"I don't like this." He sounded gruff.

One corner of her lip twitched up. "You don't have to like it."

He sighed again and moved towards her, letting the door shut behind him.

"Are you going to come back?"

Sienna's heart hurt. Was Dean upset because he thought she didn't want to be around them anymore?

"Yes. I'm coming back, Dean. I've just got to help her and I'll be back here in a jiffy."

She had stepped closer to him as she spoke.

"But what if you get hurt? I can't help you from far away."

He looked at her worriedly and ran a hand over her curls.

"I'll be fine, Dean. I've survived this long on my own." She said softly.

He pursed his lips, but didn't look convinced.

"I'll even call you when I get there." She had turned back to her duffel, sticking the last few articles of clothing she needed in and zipping it shut.

Dean grabbed the handles of it and put it over his shoulder. She raised an eyebrow, but followed when he opened the door and gestured for her to walk through. He slung it in the backseat of the rental and leaned against the driver's side door.

"Be careful, Sienna!" Sam called and pulled her into a quick hug.

"I will, Sammy! Take care of him, will ya?" She whispered, pulling back.

He smiled at her and ruffled her hair.

Dean was still positioned in front of her door. She was about to complain when he pulled her to him by her waist. He held her close in a chest-squeezing hug. He pulled back for a fraction of a second, then his lips were on hers. Like before, his kiss sparked a fire she struggled to control. He pulled away and held her chin in his hand.

"You'll call?"

She smiled and blushed a little. "I'll call."


	7. Holy Godlings!

GUYS my computer crashed and I didn't have one for literally months. BUT I'm back and here is a crazy chapter for all your waiting. So so sorry it took so long! R&R please!

Sienna POV

Sienna was about 30 minutes from New York City. Traffic was horrible and her godly temper wanted to rear it's ugly head. She sighed and took a deep breath. The drive from Indiana to New York had been quiet and lonely. She didn't realize how much she'd come to rely on the brothers' company. Then she realized she'd better call Dean before he got worried. Thinking of Dean made that last kiss replay in her mind again.

Her cheeks flushed at the memory.

She picked her phone up out of the cupholder and scrolled to find Dean's contact. She smiled at the picture she snapped of him giving her the finger that she used as his contact picture. She pressed call and put the phone to her ear.

It rang twice before he answered.

"Sienna?" He sounded worried already.

"Calm down mom." She giggled. "I'm fine. Just getting into New York City."

Dean sighed. "I'm glad you're safe."

She rolled her eyes. "What are you guys doin'?"

Dean sighed again. He sounded really tired.

"Sam was doing some reconnoitering, apparently, while we were at Lisa's."

"Uh-oh."

"Yeah. With Ruby." He clipped each word- emphasizing his anger.

Sienna sucked in through her teeth. What a bad time for her to leave! She had been acting as mediator between the boys and she was sure they needed it now.

"Don't bite his head off, Dean. He's just doing it because he loves you."

He snorted. "Too late for that."

She heard him yawn through the phone. She looked at the time on the dashboard. It was only three o'clock in the afternoon.

"Did you sleep last night?" She asked softly.

Dean snorted again. "Did you?"

She smirked. "No, but I have the blood of a God running through my veins. All you have is coffee."

He let out a sleepy laugh. "Touche."

Another phone started ringing in the background.

"Uh, I've gotta go, C. Stay safe."

"Don't do anything stupid, Winchester."

She could practically see his crooked smile. "No promises."

Sienna could see all the Manhatten skyscrapers now. She figured she'd better call Raina. It rang only once and she could already hear Raina's complaints.

"What took you so long?!"

She figured it was best not to remind Raina that she had to drive across three or so states to get here or that she had literally driven all night. Sienna was used to her abrasive nature.

"Where do you want to meet?" Sienna asked.

"Times Square. Broadway. Can you be there in ten minutes?"

Sienna sighed and attempted to reply, but the phone was already dead.

She parked in a parking garage close by and started the short walk to Broadway. Pedestrians and tourists were swarming around her and she kept a sharp eye out for the brunette she was meeting. Sienna flipped a nickel into a performer's guitar case. She was in front of Broadway now. They were playing Chicago and her heart thumped painfully. It was her mother's favorite musical. Sienna had seen it twice live and had all the songs committed to memory.

She was staring up at the lit sign when a brunette barreled into her.

She wrapped her arms around her. "Raina!"

They pulled apart. She stared down at the Athenian woman. The last time they'd seen each other they were both only eighteen. She was a couple inches taller than Sienna with a dark tumble of wavy chestnut-colored hair. She had more of an olive skintone- like she'd actually come from the Greek mainland.

Sienna met her steely gaze. She had eyes the color of storm clouds and they increased in intensity with her mood, much like Sienna's own gold eyes. Right now, those eyes were alert, scanning the throngs of people around us.

"We need to go." She grabbed Sienna by her wrist and tugged her in the opposite direction she'd come from.

"Wait, I have a car, you know?"

"No! We need to stay inconspicuous and in NYC, walking is the way to do that."

Sienna fell in step beside her.

"Okaaaay, can you at least tell me what this is about?"

"Not yet." Raina murmured.

"So what have you been up to?" Raina asked like they were just old friends getting reaquainted.

"Oh, you know what I've been doing." Sienna laughed. "But I've just been doing it with a few people."

Raina lifted her brows, her features shifting to an expression of disbelief.

"Sienna Gold letting someone help her? That's a shock." One corner of her mouth lifted in a teasing smile.

"Yeah, well, they're persistant and good at what they do." Sienna heard the adoration in her tone. And so did Raina.

She made a small growling noise in the back of her throat. "Humans." She scoffed.

"I didn't say they were humans." Sienna made an exasperated gesture.

"You didn't have to! I practically smell them on you."

Sienna laughed at the ridiculous assumption. They were coming up on Central Park now. Raina looked both ways before crossing over into the park and roughly pulling Sienna over the boundary from sidewalk into the grass.

"Okay." Raina let out a long breath. "We can talk in here. We're protected."

"What the hell is going on?" Sienna didn't want to wait any longer for an explanation.

Raina sat on a nearby bench and gestured for Sienna to sit as well.

"There's a lot of information I'm going to give you in a really short amount of time. First off, Godlings give off a sort of...light. Monsters, especially of the Greek variety, can see that light. It comes from the God of your parentage. The more important the God, the brighter the light." Sienna put a hand on her shoulder.

"Slow down, Ray, I can barely understand you." She sighed. "So, we're literally on a radar for monsters?"

"Exactly. And you, for example, are going to give off a hell of a lot more light then, say, a child of Aphrodite."

Sienna nodded. "Go on."

"Well, ever since you saved me from those harpies years ago, and you know, let loose the whole 'Athena-child' secret, I've been studying mythology. There used to be more of us. In fact, there are still symbols and statues honoring the Gods in America. So I dug deeper. I found boxes and boxes of stuff in this old Jewish temple on the Upper East Side."

"Woah, wait, how did you just happen upon these boxes?" Sienna's head was already spinning from the amount of information that was being thrown at her.

Raina surpised her by looking sheepish.

"After I found out Athena was my mom I...prayed to her. And she answered me." Raina's eyes shone with happiness and Sienna squeezed her hand in encouragement.

"She appeared to me and told me I was to be her eyes and ears in the modern world. She said 'Follow my mark. Only those I trust can see it.' It led me all the way here. She helped me find all of this."

"So her mark was on the temple?"

"Yes. Anyway..." She gave Sienna a hard look for interrupting again.

"I found old letters from Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux."

She looked at her like those names should mean something.

"Oh my Gods, Sienna. We're literally in their park right now! They were Godlings!"

Sienna's eyes bugged out of her head and she looked around for some sign of their Godly existance. Fingers snapped in front of her eyes. She looked back at Raina and made a show of shutting up, pantomiming zipping her lips shut.

"They designed this park for us, for nymphs, for satyrs, for the fey. For the mythologic creatures still alive in this world, Central Park is a safe place. There's a spell they did at it's christening right before it opened. It blankets the entire park. Monsters and even Gods can't see our light. It's the only place in this world we can go to blend in."

Sienna sat back and looked around her. She saw humans jogging, picnicing, and teenagers just hanging around.

"But what about the humans? They don't absolutely lose their shit when they see a nymph pop out of a tree?"

"Actually, the nymphs and fey have a great laugh doing things like that right in front of humans all the time. It's New York, Sienna, they're not paying enough attention."  
She paused and stood, grabbing Sienna's hand.  
"Come on, I've got to show you something."

They walked directly into the park, ignoring the paved pathways and sticking to the grass. They were trying to avoid humans as much as possible. They'd made it all the way to the Bow Bridge, and just before they approached the deserted tourist spot a nymph popped out of the long grass next to the lake.

Her skin was a pale green and her hair was the faded yellow of wheat. She had flowers wrapped in vines around her body. Her legs were still tangled in the grass- or maybe they were the grass? She leaned towards Sienna and blew a warm, flower fragrant breath across her face.

"The Old Power awakens." She whispered and laughed with pure joy and disappered.

Sienna looked at Raina for an explanation.

She shrugged. "Ever since I showed up here they've been happier and showing themselves more and more."

They were in the rambles now, surrounded by only trees and grass. No humans in sight. Raina checked a few more times, both ways, before descending a hidden rocky staircase. A bricked-up doorway stopped them and Raina sighed and went halfway back up the stairs, pulling a silver flask out of her back pocket.

She did three short whistles and held out her hand, pouring the liquid in her palm, and letting it pool there. Sienna peered over Raina's shoulder as at least ten tiny sprites converged on the pool of liquid, drinking liberally. When the liquid was all gone she turned and the sprites flew inbetween the cracks of the brick doorway until it shook and opened.

Sienna was astonished. She'd never seen more than two sprites at a time anywhere. They were ancient magic. Like, before the Olympians ancient. And here they were, just opening doors for them.

As soon as the door opened, Raina and she ducked in quickly and it shut with a quiet 'oof' behind them.

"That was incredible." Sienna heard herself whisper without exactly registering her own words. Her words died in the stale air around her into complete silence. Raina placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Get ready."

And she ushered her further into the pitch black cavern. Sienna felt Raina shiver next to her and Sienna paused in the darkness. She called on her father's power in a playful manner- if she needs it for battle it's taxing, but she can maintain a soft glow without breaking a sweat. Slowly, they were able to see where they were going.

"That is the coolest thing I've ever seen." Raina chuckled.

"Are you kidding? You just opened a sealed door with sprites. I'm just a human lamp."

They both broke out into giggles.

When they quieted, Sienna realized there were voices. Lots of them. Her light brightened as her anxiety heightened.

"No, it's okay." Raina said gently.

Sienna relaxed her shoulders but kept the glow going until they were standing in front of a threshold with the Athena owl stamped into the stone in the side wall.

"Hey, they're back!" A male voice called out.

They stood in front of about thirty people. Some dressed in armor from various cultures, some dressed normally. They all had the same lithe, muscular body type. Though their eye colors were all different, they each had an intensity that Sienna had seen many times in the mirror.

They were all Godlings.

Many met her gaze, and some even gasped out loud at the gold hue still surrounding her. The voice earlier had come from a sandy-blonde man with a bow strapped to his back. He dropped to a knee in front of her.

"Behold: The Child of Zeus, King of the Gods."

His words were whispered. They brushed over her skin like a feather.

Then, one by one, they all dropped to their knees and bowed.

Sienna sat at the head of a very long rich mahogany table. She was flanked on either side by Raina and Jack, the son of Apollo who'd first spoken when she walked through the cave. Her eyes ran along the faces of the Godlings sat on either sides of the table and counted for the third time.

Thirty-two. There were thirty-two Godlings, excluding herself and Raina.

About half, she could tell, were Greek in origin. She couldn't tell how she knew, but she did. She could practically guess their parentage. Some of the others held curved Egyptian blades or obviously Scandinavian armor, but there were still four or five people who she couldn't even guess at.

The meeting hadn't been called to order yet and many of the other adults chattered quietly to each other. Sienna let her eyes sweep past them and take in the large military-base like cave that they resided in.

The cave had been expertly excavated and held three long halls with an outbranching of corridors off of the biggest one. As Raina had pointed out when giving her the tour, the small branches led to tiny rooms where any Godling was free to stay, though most preferred to sleep elsewhere.

The second biggest hall was full of weapons on the walls from every mythology they could find. It made Sienna's room at home look down-right puny. In the center of this tunnel, a giant circle was carved into the dirt floor. Ranina explained that most Godlings don't ever learn how to properly protect themselves- so they practiced throwing each other around.

The smallest hall held the giant table where they sat now. Every seat was taken and some people still stood leaning against the walls.

Sienna cleared her throat nonchalantly, a little ill at ease with the crowd. She realized a second too late that the room had dropped dead silent. She looked up to find the culprit and met the eyes of most everyone there.  
Oh.

They were waiting on me. Sienna felt a small shiver of apprehension. She didn't like the attention they were giving her. What was their deal?

"Uhh- Raina." She turned to her friend and kept her eyes trained there. "Give me the details."  
Raina stood at her seat and spoke to everyone.

"As some of you know, there has been an uptick in supernatural creatures in the Northeast. We've been dispatching a team at least once a week."  
Sienna's brows lifted. This whole operation had to be because of Raina. She would have to remember to grill her about it later.

"Now we still don't know why that is and I was hoping Sienna's presence might shed a little light on it."  
"How?" Sienna asked.  
Raina rolled her eyes and turned toward her. "Your light."  
Sienna nodded and gestured for her to keep going.

"Thade- do you have anything to add?"

Every pair of eyes turned to a short black-haired man with caramel skin. He leaned his arms on the table and cocked an ear to the roof. In just a couple seconds he got up and darted out of sight. No one looked confused or voiced any concern. Sienna's forehead scrunched deeper.  
Thade strolled back in a minute later with a three-foot bird perched on his shoulder. He slunk down into his seat as the bird- a falcon?- began preening its feathers.

"Cleo reports a large disturbance on Roosevelt's Island." His voice was rich, but soft.

Every eye turned back to her. Sienna fought the urge to hide her face. Raina spoke up.

"We'll need to make mission plans as soon as possible. Sienna and I will talk the details and get back to you. No one leaves."

Then she turned back to Sienna and the others rose out of their seats with her dismissal. As soon as they were alone, Sienna narrowed her eyes at her.  
"So, I'm bait?"  
Raina let out a chuckle and looked at her with a guilty smile.

Raina and Sienna spent about 20 minutes with a map of Roosevelt Island looking for the easiest access points to the Four Freedoms Park- the location Thade narrowed down for them with Cleo's help.

It was almost a straight shot to the Queensboro Bridge from Central Park- and only a couple of miles to the park they needed from there. Sienna had her trustee sword and Aegis in hand while Raina grabbed what she needed.

Sienna went to meet her in the weapons room. It was strange thinking of Raina with weapons and in the middle of battle. When she'd first met Raina she was cowering against a wall with a handful of books- three hungry harpies chomping at her. Sienna had laughed at the scene. Harpies were nothing to fear- possibly the easiest monster to kill.

As she dropped into the room, there was a practice fight going on in the ring. The sandy-haired Jack was charging toward a bleach-blonde girl about Sienna's size with a small dagger in his hand. The girl held a dagger the same size, but obviously didn't know how to use it. They circled each other.

As Sienna approached the pit, the bystanders parted in front of her like the Red Sea. The two fighting didn't stop at her arrival. The man didn't seem to be holding back, which Sienna thought was a good thing.

He had blondie backed against a wall and he held his dagger six inches from her throat. Sienna sauntered up to them, not at all afraid of being caught in the crosshairs. Blondie looked concentrated, but her eyes met Sienna's.

Sienna leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

"Hook your right foot behind his knee, left hand around the wrist holding the knife. Pull that wrist straight up and use your right hand to punch him in the throat."

Sienna pulled back and smiled while taking two steps back.  
Blondie did what she said and Jack ended up on his back, coughing and holding a hand to his throat. She beamed at Sienna, her eyes glowing out a faint pink.

"Finish him off!" One of the guys yelled at the same time Raina called for Sienna.  
Sienna winked at the Godling she'd helped before turning around and loping off toward Raina's voice.

Raina's eyes were already stormy, focused on the mission- though at the moment it was purely for scouting out the enemy. We couldn't go in blind.

"Okay, Ray, we need your best fighters. Your most trained."  
She turned to the, now watching, group.  
"Jack, Thade, Melanie, and Micah."

Jack and Thade took their places beside us as a sun-tanned, tall woman, with raven black hair and a red-faced giant man strode up to join the group. The woman held her hand out first.

"Melanie, Daughter of Bellona." Her voice was sharp, but her smile was kind. In the back of her mind, Sienna remembered Bellona was a Roman war goddess. She turned to address the red-faced man.

"Micah, Son of Ares." His voice was gruff, and his expression matched. Sienna shrugged off his hand.

"Let's go." Raina said, all business.

They made it across the Queensboro bridge without bringing any attention to themselves. Once they were safely on Roosevelt Island, Thade sent Cleo to scout the area of Four Freedoms Park where the monsters coalesed.

Once the falcon was back on his arm, Thade led the group through tourists and up a rocky hill until the whole island spanned below them. The sight took Sienna's breathe away. There were hundreds, possibly thousands, of monsters milling about in the park. Greek, Egyptian, and the most recent of mythology in one place.

They were all gaping at the horrible sight, speechless.

"Well, well, well...the famous Sienna Gold. Zeus's beloved daughter."

A chilly voice slithered from behind us and we all turned, weapons out. Sienna thrust Aegis toward the small, pale child-like man. He didn't even flinch.

He was so pale, with hair so dark, he almost looked like a specter. He smiled and the action made him look cruel.

"Oh, let me introduce myself. Alexander LaFont. Child of Hades. I'm here to kill you and take this Earth for myself." His lips tilted in the twisted mockery of joy again.

Sienna was unfazed, even as the ten or twenty skeletons strode forward to join their master.

"You've never met me, son of Hades. I wouldn't count my chickens before they hatch, if I were you."

He laughed and the skeletons advanced. The six Godlings cut down the first wave without breaking a sweat. Alexander had backed far enough away to stay protected, but he didn't look panicked. Sienna decapaitated the closest skeleton and lunged for the Godling. She caught him up by his shirt and he smiled again, assaulting her with rancid breath.

"So, you're the big star. Going to save the world, are you? Well, I'm going to start the end of it. We'll see how Zeus's baby girl saves anybody from the grave."

He spat the words just before he grabbed a squirt bottle from his belt and doused Sienna with a foul-smelling orange liquid.

In her surprise, she let go of Alexander. He laughed and called a retreat to the three remaining skeleton warriors before he disappeared into the shadows.

"What the hell just happened?" Screeched Micah.

Raina rushed to me, stuck her face close to mine and inhaled deeply through her nose.

"Are you sniffing me?" Sienna asked while taking a step back. Too late she realized Raina's face had completely drained of color.

"Jack, take off your shirt." She ordered, no animation in her voice.

He did as she said, but Sienna was distracted by the strange sizzling sound in her ears. She looked down and realized, with horror, why Raina was freaked.

Alexander had doused her with centaurs blood- extememly poisonous. Her breath started to come in little pants of panic. She ripped her shirt in two and threw it to the ground trying to get as much of the poison off as possible, but she could already start to feel the burn.

She saw the steam rising from her stomach before pulling on Jack's shirt.

She clamped her jaw shut to keep from screaming, but the pain was excruitating. In seconds, black dots spotted her vision and then there was only darkness.

DEAN POV

Dean was just walking out of the lush New York apartment building Bella lived in, cursed rabbit foot in hand, when he heard the screaming.

There was a woman in hysterics and his hunter instincts had him turning in circles searching for her.

His heart skipped a beat. There was a group of people running toward him on the opposite side of the street and the man in front was carrying a petite redhead.

He didn't consciously decide to run to her; his body just responded. They were running into one of the buildings and Dean was hot on their trail. As soon as he reached the threshold, two men grabbed him by the shoulders.

"What the hell have you done to her!" He growled, ready to take them both.  
"Sienna!" He yelled down the corridor.

He thought he heard a faint "Dean?" answer his call.

He tried with renewed strength to break the hold that was keeping him from her.

"Let him in." He heard Sienna choke out.

Neither boy let up their grip. The blonde one looked down the corridor and called out "Raina?"

Silence.

Sienna's voice called out "I said let him in."

He knew something horrible must have happened to her but the power in her voice had both boys flinching before they parted and Dean pushed past them.

He raced down the hallway and came to the only room. A bulky ogre like man stood in the way but quickly moved as he approached. She laid on a stripped mattress, blood staining it and her clothes. Her face was a startling shade of white and her eyes almost closed.

Dean dropped to his knees and put her face in his hands. Her eyes opened and she focused on him.

"Get her to drink this."  
A tall brunette appeared out of nowhere, a flask in her hand. He took it and screwed off the top.

"Sienna, come on, baby," he whispered as he held it to her lips.  
She drank slowly, her swallows dry and audible.

Her eyelashes fluttered and she took larger gulps. The brunette was suddenly there, prying the flask from her hands.

"Not too much, Sienna, you know that."

Sienna sat back heavily against the wall, but her breathing had deepened and color was starting to reanimate her face.

"Did I hear you call me baby?" She tried to smirk.

Dean smiled at her, thankful she was sounding like herself. He put his hands back around her face, cupping her cheeks and brushing her hair back.

"What happened to you?" He whispered.

"Centaur's blood. It's poisonous."

She met his eyes resolutely. "I'm going to die."

His eyes widened in horror, but before he could say anything, the brunette walked up to them and spoke.

"No you're not." She held up a green creamy substance. "But this is going to hurt."

"Wh-what is it?" Sienna managed to ask.

"It's an emergency salve that Zoey, a daughter of Hectate, cooked up. It can cure almost every type of poisoning out there. But it's going to burn. A lot."

Sienna grabbed onto Dean's wrist with her one good arm and held on for dear life. For the first time since he'd met her, Sienna looked scared.

Dean grabbed her chin with two fingers and made her face him.

"Just focus on me, okay? Don't look down."

Her breath was back to the painful little pants he'd first heard from her.

"Distract me." She pleaded. "Why are you in New York?"

Dean kept her gaze on him and dove into the story of his dad's stolen rabbit's foot. As the brunette applied the salve to the least blistered parts of her body she cringed and ground her teeth, but she made it through. Even laughing at some of the ridiculous things Sammy went through.

"He's just locked in a hotel room? Dean, you need to get to him." She whispered.

"Not until you can come with me, Gold."

"I can't come, Dean, there's a lot happening here. I need to stay."

He was getting ready to protest when the brunette spoke again.

"Sienna, I have to take off your shirt. Its going to be worse on your stomach." She turned to Dean. "Maybe you should leave."

Before he could say there was no way in hell he was leaving, Sienna held even tighter to his hand and shook her head rapidly.

"N-No. I need him. Just rip it off."

The brunette gave him the stank eye, but used the knife on her belt to rip the shirt down the middle. Dean gasped at what he saw, tears almost filling his eyes. Blood was caked to her abdomen and still wept in patches. He could almost see the bone of her ribs. The poison had practically melted her skin.

She must have seen the horrified looks on our faces because Sienna tried to sit up, to look down at the damage. Dean blocked her view and held her to the mattress.

"I'm going to die, aren't I?" She whispered.

"No." Growled both Dean and the brunette, then she yelled down the hall. "Jack!"

The blonde man who'd held him back earlier appeared in a second, his face paling at the burns.

"I need you to hold down her ankles. She's going to try to squirm away from the pain."

She met Dean's eyes. "You got her shoulders?"

He nodded and moved his hands, leaning over her, so all she could see was his face.

"Distract me?" She panted out, obviously terrified.

He started to tell her about how he still had the rabbit foot, that that's probably how he found her, when her face contorted and she let out a mix between scream and a sob. He held her shoulders down and pressed his face close to her ear, whispering reassurances.

Then the brunette got to her ribs and Sienna thrashed, out of her mind with pain.

"We need her still!" The brunette yelled at him. "Do something, anything, to bring her back to you!" She ordered.

Dean's mind flailed. He pressed her shoulders harder to the mattress and did the only thing he could think of. He kissed her. It was just a soft touch of their lips, but Sienna instantly quieted. Her eyelashes fluttered and she kissed him back.

It wasn't the blazing wildfire of heat he was used to with her, but instead a slow and steady smoldering. Like molten lava, deep inside the Earth, molding and shaping them without their realization. Sienna flinched from an exceptionally painful touch and Dean kneeded her shoulders, tiliting his head and deepening the kiss.

It seemed like in seconds, the brunette was touching his shoulder.

"She's all done."

Dean pulled away from her slowly, only pulling a few centimeters back from her face. Her eyes blazed liquid gold and she stared at him in surprise, though neither of them said anything. They just stared until the brunette cleared her throat awkwardly.

She sat by Sienna's head.

"This shouldn't have happened, C. There's a spy in Central Park. Until I can figure out who it is, you're not safe here. Go with him." She gestured to Dean.

"Who is Alexander? What do you know about him?" Sienna asked her.

"Absolutely nothing. We never saw another Godling, it was always just the monsters. He must be their leader." The brunette shook her head.

"I'm so sorry I wrapped you into this." She looked like she might cry.

Sienna smirked. "Don't be. Now you know the enemy."

The brunette huffed. "You'll need to put the salve on once a day for a week. I'll go make you a little bag of supplies."

She turned to Dean.

"You'll protect her?" Her voice was hard.

"Of course I will." He narrowed her eyes at her and they had a silent staredown. Then she turned and headed for the door, the two other men in the room following her.

He looked back down at Sienna. The green salve had stopped the bleeding and she was breathing normally now. He yanked off his shirt and held a hand out to help her sit up. She slid it on carefully and met his gaze with a sad smile on her face.

"How is it you're always where I need you to be?" She whispered.

He didn't answer. He just slid his hand around her neck and into her hair, pulling her gently into another sweet, slow kiss. When he pulled back, he kept close, bumping her nose with his.

"The Impala is down the street. I'll move it, so you don't have to be carried far."

She shook her head. "Go get Sammy first. I'll be fine here."

He snorted. "Yeah, right. I left you alone for a day and you almost died. You're not leaving my sight, Gold."

She smiled and nodded, her eyelids slipping down.

"I'll send someone in here to watch you while I get the car." He whispered and kissed the top of her head.

Dean was hesitant to leave her looking so weak. She couldn't die. He wouldn't let that happen. He told the biggest guy there to go back and watch her as he ran to the Impala. He was parked outside of the building in less than a minute.

When he got back to Sienna, she was asleep. He slipped the little pack the brunette, whose name he learned was Raina, on one shoulder and slid one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees. She groaned when he lifted her and she buried her face in his chest before he slid her carefully in the backseat.

He adjusted the rearview mirror so he could see her, and drove to meet Sammy.

...

He found Sammy in the messed up hotel room he left him in and ushered him into the Impala quickly. Sam freaked out when he saw Sienna and Dean tried to keep him quiet, so he didn't wake her up.

Dean drove out to the middle of an old cemetery to dispose of the cursed rabbit's foot. They were just about to do the deed when Bella appeared out of nowhere, pointing a gun at him.

"I think you'll find that belongs to me or, you know...whatever." She smiled. "Put the foot down, honey."

Dean huffed. "No. You're not going to shoot anybody. See, I happen to be able to read people. Okay, you're a thief, but you're not-"

Dean was cut off by the gunshot she aimed at Sam. He whipped his head back and forth between them.

"Back off, Tiger!" She yelled. "Or maybe the girl will be next. Who do you think will get to that car first? Want to bet on it?" She laughed.

Dean clenched his jaw. He'd kill her before he let her get to Sienna.

"The hell is wrong with you?!" He yelled. "You don't go around just shooting people like that!"

"Relax. It's a shoulder hit. I can aim. Besides, who here hasn't shot a few people?"

He wanted nothing more than to throttle her. But he wouldn't risk Sam and Sienna.

"Now, put the rabbit foot on the ground."

"Alright! Alright, take it easy."

Dean acted like he was slowly setting the foot down, then he threw the foot directly at her, causing her to catch it, along with the curse.

"Damn." She whispered through clenched teeth.

"Now, what do you say we destroy that ugly-ass piece of dead thing?" He smirked.

She threw it in the burning embers. "Thanks so much. I'm out 1.5 million and on the bas side of a very powerful, fairly psychotic buyer."

"Wow." Dean replied. "I really don't feel bad about that."

Dean and Sam walked back to the Impala, got in, and drove to the nearest motel. Dean careful pulled Sienna out of the back and carried her inside. She stirred in his arms.

"Shhhhhh." He whispered to her as he laid her down on the bed and pulled the duvet over her. Before he could pull away, her hand came down on his wrist and she gripped it tightly.

"Stay with me." She mumbled.

Dean smiled and kicked his shoes off. "Gladly." He murmured to himself.

He slid in the other side and laid on his back. Sienna scooched herself carefully over and laid her head on the space between his chest and shoulder and within seconds she was back to sleep. Dean ran his hand through her hair and started to relax.

Sam came out of the bathroom, bullet wound patched and sat on the opposite bed, staring at Dean with an eyebrow cocked up.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Dude." He shook his head. "You are so in over your head."

Dean pursed his lips. "Go to sleep, Jinx."


	8. Jazz Babe: Sienna Gold

Another week, another chapter. :) Tell me how you like it! Is there anything specific anyone wants to see from Dean or Sienna? Send me a message or review and I'll try to work it in! Thanks for reading! :)

The first song referenced is Makin' Whoopee- Ella Fitzgerald and the second is Walkin' in the Moonlight by Patsy Cline.

Sienna POV

Sienna was so damn bored.

The boys had been gone for two weeks now hunting. She, of course, had to stay behind to continue healing from the Centaur's blood poisoning she'd endured a whole month ago.

The first week back at Bobby's with the boys was a blur. She slept so often, barely waking up to eat, or to reapply the horrible green stuff that had saved her life. Dean had hovered protectively over her the entire time. Every time she woke up, she saw his face. Her heart leaped when she thought of him now.

The second week had been her just trying to get back to normal and Sam and Dean helping her get physically back up to par. For the first couple of days, if she did too much she'd end up back in bed, almost passing out.

It had taken her two days of convincing to get Dean to go back out with Sam. He'd gotten angry the first day when Sam came to him with the hunt in Ohio. Sienna had told him over and over again that she was fine. She had Bobby.

But Dean refused.

When she'd finally convinced him that his duty was more important, he'd been upset, but she helped him pack anyway.

When the boys were ready, Dean pulled her around to the little garage Bobby had back behind the house, effectively out of the old man's sight. He'd checked her bandage one more time, though he'd done it just thirty minutes earlier, and pulled her into a gentle hug.

"You'll call me if anything happens?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, I swear."

She stepped closer to him, her bare feet balanced on his shoes and her arms around his waist. His arms had been crossed in an angry stance, but he relaxed at her touch. She dropped her voice lower.

"Now, did you bring me over here to kiss me or what?"

He smiled mischeivously and put his hands on her hips, pulling her carefully closer. He brushed his lips teasingly against hers and she parted her lips, gasping slightly. They hadn't been able to do much since her accident, and the slow burn that had started between them a month ago ignited, renewed.

His hands went up into her hair, tugging on the curly strands and he knicked her bottom lip with his teeth, earning a moan from her.

He pulled back reluctantly when he heard Sam calling.

"I've got to go."

He whispered an inch from her lips. She reached up on her tiptoes and planted one more solid kiss before stepping back.

"Go save some lives, 'kay?" She smiled sweetly and did her signature cheek pat.

After he left, she went directly to sleep.

Now, during these past two weeks Dean had called her every night, even if she was sleeping and didn't pick up. She'd gotten stronger and started practicing with her sword and Aegis again. She felt totally ready to go with them, but Bobby insisted she wait until they come back. The thing was, she hated free time.

She would get restless and start practicing more and more, pushing herself harder and harder.

Finally, she was up in the spare bedroom she'd claimed as her own, lying in bed on her stomach, reading her mother's old copy of The Odyssey, when Dean opened the bedroom door and peeked his head in.

She gasped slightly and bolted off the bed.

Without thinking about her actions, she threw her arms around his neck and clung to his chest. His arms wrapped around her ribcage and lifted her just barely off her feet, hugging her tight to him.

"You're home!" She exclaimed.

He chuckled. "And you're feeling much better, I see."

They both turned to sit on the bed.

"How was your drive home?"

Dean sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"Oh no. What's wrong?"

"There's a bullet missing from the colt and I've been waiting for Sam to say something, but he hasn't."

Sienna pursed her lips.

"Probably the crossroads demon." She whispered.

Dean grunted angrily. "How's your stomach?"

His fingers trailed at the bottom of her Ramones shirt. She lifted it and showed him the fully healed wound. He ran his fingers over the light pink splotch on her ribs marking where she'd almost died.

"It looks like a sunburn." He murmured. "Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore. I'm totally healed. No more sitting on the sidelines for me. If I _ever_ get my hands on that kid-" Dean cut her off.

"You're not going back there." He looked at her guilty face.

" _Right_?" He asked pointedly.

"Well, not right now, but eventually I'll have to."

Dean clenched his jaw. "They need my help, Dean."

"That kid almost killed you, Sienna!"

"And how many demons have almost killed you?"

He just sat there scowling. She stood and leaned down in front of him. He wouldn't look at her, so she put her hands on his face and forced him to look her in the eyes.

"You weren't there, Dean. He's got an _army_. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of monsters. I'm too powerful to hide away. They- my brothers and sisters- need my help."

She said the harsh words gently and he nodded slightly.

"Until...I'm gone, will you stay? With us?" He pressed her hand to his face.

She nodded and he let out a big breath.

She sat next to him again and he turned pulling her to him. He ran his hands up her sides until they were nestled in her curls. Her eyes started to sting and he watched as the gold in them bloomed to maximum luminescense.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered.

Sienna shivered, goosebumps rising on her arms. His nose trailed along her neck, her collar bone, planting feathery kisses on her shoulders, until he worked his way to her mouth. Sienna sighed breathily. An inch from her lips, he stopped.

"I should probably take a shower."

Sienna's eyes were closed in bliss. They hadn't been able to hardly touch each other since New York, and she'd almost forgotten the fire he made race through her veins.

"After." She whispered.

He chuckled and pressed his lips to hers hungrily. She moaned and immediately went for his shirt, hiking it up over his head, making them break contact for a quick second before they collided again. Her hands roamed his bare chest, caressing the strong muscles in his abdomen.

Their kisses were hot and heavy, so intense they almost skimmed teeth. His hands slid back down her sides, ducking under her shirt. He pulled it up slowly, savoring every inch of her stomach, an area that'd been off limits for so long.

She moaned lightly when his hands slipped under her black, lacy bra. He pulled the shirt all the way off and pushed her to the bed. He pulled back and gazed down at her body, his eyes darkened with lust.

He leaned down slowly and lightly kissed the pink splotch that covered her ribs on the right side and she shivered with anticipation.

They both jumped as the door opened.

"Boy, you really do got a death wish." Bobby growled, cheeks flushed as he stared at them.

Dean lunged for his shirt and covered Sienna's chest before jumping off the bed with his hands up in surrender.

"Look Bob-" He tried.

"No, _you_ look boy. You meet me in the garage in three minutes or I'll come up here and drag you out myself." He slammed the door closed and they heard his angry footsteps trudge down the stairs.

Dean turned back to Sienna and sighed. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shirt on over her head. She stood and approached him, wrapping both arms around his middle.

"Better go face the calvary."

He groaned and hung his head, giving Sienna the opportunity to peck his nose.

"Oh wait." She walked over to the big six-drawer dresser against the wall and pulled out the shirt he'd given her to wear on the day of her poisoning.

He smiled, pulled it over his head, and reached down and tugged her to him for one last slow, sexy kiss.

"Sneak in after bed." She whispered when he pulled back.

"You can bet on it." He said as he walked out the door.

DEAN POV

Oh God. Bobby's going to tear him a new one.

Though he knew he was going to get reamed, she's all he could think of. He passed Sam in the kitchen as he hesitantly made his way to the garage. Sam chuckled lightly.

"I'll pray for you, buddy."

Dean walked out the back door and immediately got a balled up rag to the face. He stopped and nodded.

"Yeah, should have seen that coming." He murmured to himself.

Bobby was leaning against a broken down '55 Ford Mustang and scowling deeply.

"What the hell do you think you're doin' with that girl, kid?"

"Bob, we're just having fun. It...just sort of happened. I didn't set out to seduce her or anything evil. Why are you wiggin' out?"

"Just havin' _fun_ , huh?" He sounded even angrier.

"Y-yes?" Dean was so confused.

"You're fallin' for that woman, and she's fallin' for you. Y'all need to get out while you're 'just havin' fun'". He air quoted the last three words.

"W-what? No. I'm dying Bob, and we're both quite aware of that."

"Exactly, idjit!" He yelled. "You're going to die and she's going to be here. Left with the grief of losing you. You may be havin' fun Dean, but you don't gotta deal with the fallout. Is that fair to her?"

Dean was speechless. He hadn't thought of that. Suddenly his stomach tightened and he didn't know how he'd face Sienna later. Bob continued and every word made him more nervous.

"Dean, tell me, why did you baby that girl like she was the Queen? I could've taken care of her. Hell, she could have taken care of _herself_! But there you were, superglued to her side. You ever think why you did that?"

Dean sat heavily on the wooden steps leading from the garage to the house. Bobby sat next to him.

"Think about what you're doing, kid."

He said gently before walking back into the house. Dean just sat there until the sun set thinking about that stunning girl he was inevitably hurting.

...

Dean was standing outside her bedroom door. How did he really feel about her? He didn't feel like he could admit it. He was going to die in close to six months. He didn't _get_ to love her. He knew that. But, it'd started happening anyway. Dean had never felt the things she made him feel.

He hesitated one more time before turning the handle, knowing that this next moment may change the rest of his short life.

When he walked in, she was just in his shirt and boy-short underwear, reading the book he'd seen her with earlier by the lamp light. She looked up at his entrance with a sweet smile on her face, that was quickly replaced with a look of concern.

"It wasn't that bad, was it?"

He bit his bottom lip and sat at the edge of the bed. She slid to the bottom, throwing her legs over the edge and looking up at him.

"Dean, what's wrong?" She whispered.

He finally dared to look at her and her eyes pulled the words out of his mouth.

"He made me think of something I was trying not to think about."

She huffed. "That's a little vague."

"Are you sure you want to do this? Be involved with me...at all?"

He could hear the own insecurity in his voice. Something only Sammy had ever heard.

She blinked a couple times and stared up at him for what felt like a long time.

"Why are you asking me?" She whispered.

He closed his eyes to try to focus on his words.

"Because I'm going to die, Sienna. I already know how much that will hurt Sammy. I don't want to hurt you, too."

When he opened his eyes she was staring at the floor and he knew he'd done it. Convinced her to stay far, far away. But when she finally met his eyes, she had a sad smile planted on her face.

"I think it's too late for that, Dean. I'd be hurt if Sammy died, or Bobby, too." She whispered. "What do you want?"

He couldn't help the words that spilled out of his mouth.

"I'd be perfectly happy spending the rest of my numbered days with you."

She grabbed his hand and twined her fingers through his.

"Then kiss me, Winchester."

He almost leaned in. He could so easily forget his doubts and throw himself into her arms. But he couldn't hurt her. It'd be unforgivable.

He pulled her into a tight hug, burying his face in her hair and inhaling her familiar, sweet flowery scent.

"Please think about what I said, C. At least for tonight." He pulled back and he saw his face reflected in her eyes. He looked like he'd just lost a battle.

He was such a weak man. He leaned down and kissed her softly, maybe for the last time. "Promise me." She nodded when he leaned his forehead against hers.

As he walked to the door, he could practically feel the gravitational pull that would have him back in her bed. He stopped and turned at the door.

"I don't know how we got here, but you mean a lot to me, Sienna Gold." He whispered and turned his back, closing the door behind him with a definitive click.

He hung his head and practically forced himself to the bedroom he and Sam shared. Once he walked in, Sam's head swiveled up to look at him. After a second, he spoke.

"Are you okay?"

Dean swallowed hard and took off his boots.

"I don't want to talk about it."

He sighed and turned out the light, only to be tormented by dreams of what he could never really have.

...

The next morning, Sam was already out of the room. Dean sat up and headed towards the adjoining bathroom, ready for a shower.

Ten minutes later when he was clean, dressed, and semi-awake, he emerged from the room and peeked his head in Sienna's. She wasn't in her room either.

Finally, he found them both in the kitchen drinking coffee and discussing some new hunt.

"You already found a new hunt? It's like nine-thirty in the morning."

Sienna looked up from her mug.

"Bella called me. She's involved in some kind of haunting."

Dean cocked an eyebrow. "Why would Bella call you?"

Her lips curled into her crooked smile.

"Maybe she likes me more, Winchester."

Dean pursed his lips. "That's probably true."

A half hour later, they'd hit the road. He hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Sienna alone. He couldn't help but wonder if she did that on purpose.

Halfway through the day, he confronted Sam. Sienna was napping in the back.

"So, I've been waiting since Maple Springs. You got something to tell me?"

"Its not your..birthday. Happy Purim?" Sam chuckled. "Dude, I don't know. I have no idea what you're talking-"

"There's a bullet missing from the Colt. You want to tell me what happened?"

Sam didn't say anything.

"I know it wasn't me. So, unless you were shooting at some incredibly evil cans...you went after her didn't you? The crossroads demon. After I told you not to."

Sienna sat up in the backseat looking grumpy.

"You could have gotten yourself killed!" Dean yelled.

"That's a little dramatic." Sienna said at the same time Sam said, "I didn't."

"And you shot her." Dean ignored Sienna's comment.

"She was a smartass." Sam shot back.

"So what, does that mean I'm out of my deal?" He asked pointedly.

"Don't you think I might have mentioned that little fact, Dean?"

Sienna leaned forward, listening to their conversation with a little more interest.

"No. Someone else holds the contract."

"Who?" Sienna and Dean asked at the same time. He met her eyes in the rearview mirror and held them until she looked away biting her bottom lip.

"She wouldn't say." Sam answered solemnly.

Dean could feel how angry he looked.

"We should find out who. Of course, our best lead would be the crossroad demon. Oh wait a minute.." He trailed off.

"That's not funny."

"No, it's not!"

Sienna's hand wrapped around his right shoulder. "Dean."

He didn't know how she could chastise him with just the one word, but she did. His shoulders relaxed an inch.

"It was a stupid freaking risk and you shouldn't have done it." Dean said in a slightly calmer tone.

"I shouldn't have done it? You're my brother, Dean and no matter what you do, I'm gonna try and save you. And I'm sure as hell not going to apologize for it, all right?"

Dean didn't respond, but Sienna's hand gave another reassuring squeeze and he covered it with his own hand, not caring at the moment that he didn't know where they stood.

...

Finally, they pulled into a motel parking lot and Sienna hopped out the back, stretching like a cat until all her joints popped. Bella had yet to be seen. Sienna grabbed her bags out of the popped trunk and headed towards the check in desk.

He watched her but didn't stop her. As she walked back past him, he followed behind her, determined to talk with her alone. The door she opened had one single king bed. Dean stopped, his chest suddenly heavy.

"Dean?" She asked. "I don't mean to sound cliche, but you look like you've seen a ghost."

"You got your own room?" The words spilled out involuntarily. He was usually so smooth with girls, but with Sienna he just had word vomit.

She set her bags down and tilted her head sadly to the side, pursing her lips.

"D-does..so, so that means-" He stammered until she cut him off.

"I'm just...still thinking." She said gently.

Dean nodded. Though it was what he'd wanted, it still sucked to hear. Apparently she could tell, because she sighed and patted the edge of the mattress next to her.

"I think we should..just be friends for a little while. I'm not going to leave- I made a promise. But, I guess it might be for the best if we're not..romantically involved."

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Or at least until I figure out which one hurts less."

He hung his head. "I'm sorry I got you into this."

She smiled and spoke softly. "Don't be."

"Anyway, you two should go talk to the grandmother, or whatever, of the deceased. I'll sit here and find out what other weird shit happens in this town."

He sighed and stood, going to find Sammy to talk to an old broad.

...

Aside from the mention of a ghost ship and someone, probably a hunter, named Alex was prowling around, the old ladies only fascination was Sam. Man, that was funny stuff! His face was enough to have Dean doubled over.

Still laughing, he pulled his phone out before leaving the house and dialing Sienna.

"What's up?"

"Want to meet at the marina? Seems like a ghost ship situation."

She laughed lightly saying "Can we get anymore scooby doo?" before she hung up.

When Sienna was finally walking toward them, Sam explained what the old lady had said, while Dean made snide jokes about her infatuation with Sammy, earning a few covert giggles from Sienna- and a few glares from Sam.

"Wait, it never occurred to you guys that 'Alex' is Bella? You know, the one who called?"

"Oh." They said in unison.

Sienna smiled. "Where would you be without me, Winchesters?"

"So were thinking ghost ship, right?" Dean said as they walked along the water, Sienna in the middle.

"It's not the first one to appear." Sienna murmured and Sam took over from there.

"Every thirty-seven years, like clockwork. Reports of a vanishing three-mast clipper ship out in the bay."

"And the drownings every thirty-seven years to match." Sienna added.

"What's the lore?" Dean asked her.

"Well, there are sightings of 'ghost ships' all over the world. The S.S Violet, The Flying Dutchman. In every sighting, it's a death omen."

"So you see the ship and you pucker up and kiss it goodbye?"

"Basically." Sam answered him.

"So what's next?" Dean asked.

"I've got to ID the boat." Sam replied.

"That can't be too hard. How many clipper-masts have wrecked on the coast?"

Sienna chuckled. "Over one hundred and fifty."

"Wow. Crap." He replied.

Dean walked forward. A confused look coming over his face, matching Sam's.

"This is where we parked the car right?"

"I thought so."

Sam looked around.

"Where's my car?"

Sienna was swiveling around looking for the Impala as Sam asked if he fed the meter.

"Sam, where's my car? Somebody stole my car?!" He was panicking.

"Hey, hey, hey calm down." Sam put his hands up.

"I am calmed down! Somebody stole my-" He started hyperventilating.

Sienna pressed her hand to her mouth trying not to laugh, and Sam helped him breathe normally.

"Uh, Dean..." Sienna trailed off pointing in front of him.

"The '67 Impala? That was yours?" A familar british accent asked. "I'm sorry, I had that car towed." She smiled.

"You _what_?!" Dean yelled.

"Well, it was in a tow away zone."

"No, it wasn't!"

"Well, it was when I finished with it." She smiled evilly again.

"You're working with that old lady." Sam said without any doubt.

"Gert's a dear old friend."

Sienna laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, right. What's your angle?"

"There's no angle." She addressed the redhead. "There's a lot of lovely old women like Gert up and down the Eastern seaboard. I sell them charms, perform seances so they can commune with their dead cats."

"And let me guess, it's all a con. None of it's real." Dean shook his head at her.

"The comfort I provide them is very real."

"How do you sleep at night?" Sam asked.

"On silk sheets, rolling naked in money. Really Sam, I'd expect the attitude from him, or her, but you?"

"You shot me."

"I barely grazed you."

Dean shook his head and stopped listening for a minute. Sienna was yelling at Bella, and it made him happy that she was acting like herself.

"You do know this ghost ship thing, this is real?" He asked her.

"I'm aware. Thanks for telling Gert the case wasn't solved, by the way."

"It isn't." He said exasperated.

"She didn't know that. Now the old bag's stopped payment and she's demanding some real answers. I thought you'd help with that, but just stay out of my way before you cause more trouble."

" _You_ called _me_!" Sienna said.

Bella smiled at Dean and Sienna narrowed her eyes.

"I'd get to that car if I were you...Before they find the arsenal in the trunk."

She gave Dean one more once over, making Sienna practically growl, and walked away.

"Can we shoot her?" Dean asked.

"Not in public." Sam answered grimly.

Sienna stepped up by them. "Speak for yourself, I'd make it look like a freak lightning strike."

Dean chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. "Try to resist the urge."

...

The next morning, another victim had drowned, and when the boys showed up to question his brother, Bella was already there questioning him.

As they shooed her away, Dean got a good look at Sienna. She didn't look like she'd slept the night before.

"Sorry you had to deal with that. They're like roaches." Dean addressed the victim's brother.

"So we heard you say..." Sam started, and Dean walked over to where Sienna stood, staring up at the big house.

"You okay?" He murmured, trying to act like he wasn't staring at the circles under her eyes.

She looked up at him, a little startled by the question. Her mouth opened a couple times before she covered it with a smooth smile, saying, "I'm fine, why?"

Dean narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips.

"You know, I think you're really good at hiding things with a pretty smile."

She turned and looked square at him. "What is it you'd actually like to say, instead of dancing around the words?" She spoke lightly keeping eye contact with him.

He smiled. This was one of the first things that drew him to her. She didn't sugarcoat things.

"Are you sleeping okay?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Who's dancing around the words now?" He retaliated, but before she could respond, he continued. "You slept almost the entire way here, and supposedly, all night last night, but the bags under your eyes have bags."

Her eyes left his and she chuckled dryly.

"I slept a couple hours last night."

"What's wrong?" His hand reached for her, but he pulled it back.

"I'm just having dreams, Dean. Nothing to worry about."

"What kind of dreams?" He pressed.

She sighed. "Dreams prophetic in nature. It happens all the time to Godlings."

"Prophetic..like, like you're seeing the future?"

Her silence answered his question.

"C, just because I can't kiss you, doesn't mean I don't want to help you."

She sighed and finally met his eyes again, her hand wrapping around his.

"Dean, I'm not telling you because it won't matter." She whispered.

His expression hardened. "Because by then, I'll be dead. Unable to help you."

Sienna bit her lip, but pulled on his hand, tugging him towards Sam, who had finished talking with the brother.

"He saw the ship." He murmured as the three of them headed for the Impala.

While they were loading rock salt into their guns, Dean took Sienna aside.

"You should go back to the hotel and sleep."

She frowned. "And miss the action?"

He smiled at her reply, but he insisted. "It's one ghost, not very action worthy. I'll wake you up as soon as we get back." He stuck his motel key in her hand. "Plus, there's whiskey in my bag."

He winked and she nodded. "Fine."

Dean tried like hell to ignore Bella. She was going to drive him crazy. Instead, while they set up to watch the victim's brother, he thought of Sienna.

He was desparate to know what the future looked like. Whether Sam was okay. Whether Sienna was okay. Whether they were helping each other.

But, to be honest, maybe he didn't want to know. Her haggard face told enough for him. It was bad. It was all very bad. He hoped she was sleeping peacefully when the brother they'd been following called them out.

"I think we've been made." He sighed as they got out of the Impala.

...

Sienna POV

Sienna hated getting sidelined.

She sighed. But she understood it was necessary. If she were being honest, she was dead on her feet.

The night before the hunt she'd been tossing and turning all night trying to run from the dreams she knew were real.

Sam with black eyes. Dean surrounded by hellfire, screaming out for her. Her, alone running in the woods from something she couldn't see, but knew was huge by the reverberating footsteps. Zeus speaking to her secretly. Another goddess-like woman giving her a satchel of items. The images blurred on and on until she got the solid shot of her, engulfed in lightning, picking up Alexander by his throat and using her sword to run him through before tossing him off a cliff.

She shook her head and tried to focus on her surroundings. She was outside Sam and Dean's door, key in hand. She opened the door and went to Dean's bag. She took a swig of the whiskey he had stashed and put it back.

She took a look around the room before standing, thinking she'd better go lay down. Her eyes lingered on Dean's bag, and then his bed.

The boys said they'd be gone all night, so free game, right?

With no shame, she pulled out one of his t-shirts and curled up in his bed. She'd meant to put the shirt on, but as soon as she hit the pillow, she wasn't getting back up. Instead she pulled the blanket around her and kept his shirt in her hands, next to her face.

The shirt smelled like him, and it was such a comfort that she was asleep in seconds- finally without any doomsday dreams.

When she woke up, it was dark outside. She looked around disoriented and saw Sam asleep in the bed next to her. She sat up quickly. Where was Dean?

Her internal question was quickly answered. Dean lay across the bottom of the bed she was in, just a couple inches from her toes. She felt like an asshole, so she crawled down to him.

"Dean. Deeeean!" She whispered, shaking his shoulder.

He opened his eyes and smiled at her lazily.

"You were supposed to wake me up." She whispered.

Still a little groggy from sleep, he yawned and whispered back "I know but you looked so cute."

She scrunched her forehead at him and looked down. His shirt was still clutched tightly in her hand. Fuck. She peeked up at him and he was staring at her with an amused smile.

"You don't have to explain anything." He whispered cheekily. Then, leaning on his elbow and caressing her blushing cheek with a hand, he asked a difficult question.

"Do you ever think what might have happened if I met you before I made the deal?"

She stared at him wide-eyed.

Of course she'd thought about it. If they'd met a year earlier. Two years. If they had more time, what would he be to her? They weren't allowed to think about that now. It was too late.

She smiled sadly at him. "I think you still would have made the deal."

He looked at her with that pretty, crooked smile. "Maybe, but I would have hesitated."

She snorted and rolled her eyes, but her smile was geninue.

His thumb ran underneath her eye. "Did you sleep?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

"Why won't you tell me what you saw?"

She grimaced at him. "Because it would only frustrate you. Hurt you."

"You only see bad things?"

She shrugged. "Mostly."

"What good things?"

She sighed.

"Zeus talking to me alone. Some other goddess giving me a backpack."

"Will you tell me just one bad thing?"

His fingers were trailing along her cheek, down her neck, across her collar bone. She decided to go with the least worst. She closed her eyes.

"I see myself alone running in the woods. Something huge is chasing me. I can't see it, but I can feel it's footsteps. Think T-Rex in Jurassic Park. It fast forwards and I'm dirty, bleeding, and still in the woods. I can hear lots of growling from the darkness."

She opened her eyes. "I think wolves."

"Why are you alone?" He asked.

She huffed. "It doesn't give me a backstory, Dean."

She was sure he felt her fluttery breaths at his touch, but she didn't want him to stop. He brushed his thumb along her full bottom lip.

"Are you still thinking?" He whispered so close she could feel his breath on her neck.

"I'm trying." She answered honestly.

"Do I make it hard for you?" There was a smile in his voice.

"Yes." Full honestly again.

He chuckled and sat up, pulling himself and her back to the pillows. He flipped back the blanket and tucked her in it, as he took the other side. As she put her head down on the pillow, his voice traveled to her.

"You won't have bad dreams."

She fell back asleep in record time and he was right.

...

In the morning, Sienna woke up before both boys and headed to her room for a shower. After she was cleaned up and dressed, she checked on the boys again. Still out. She shrugged her shoulders and decided to get everyone breakfast from the little diner across the street.

When she finally got back to the motel, hands full of bags of breakfast sandwiches, Bella was standing outside the boys' door.

She stopped. "What are you doing here?"

Bella smiled. "You need me."

Sienna groaned and knocked on the door, realizing she left Dean's key back in her room. When he opened the door, he looked actually happy.

"Food! You're the best. Wait, why do you look so grumpy?"

Bella stepped out from behind her. "Oh."

"Yeah." Sienna said stepping past him.

"So," Bella started, "how did things go last night with Peter?"

She looked at the boys. "That well, huh?"

Dean narrowed his eyes. "If you say 'I told you so' I swear to God I'll start swingin'."

Sienna handed Dean his sandwich. "Please do." She said, mimicking a posh british accent.

Bella rolled her eyes and Dean chuckled.

"Look, I think the four of us should have a heart to heart."

"That's assuming you have a heart." Sienna flashed a sickly sweet smile.

"Dean, please. I'm sorry about what I said before, okay?"

Sienna wanted to strangle this girl when she called Dean's name or looked him over like a toy. She didn't think she'd ever felt jealous before. Freaking Winchester.

"I come bearing gifts." She smiled reassuringly.

Sam lifted a brow. "Such as?"

She started pacing as she was talking.

"I've ID'ed the ship."

"It's the Espirito Santo, a merchant sailing vessel. Quite a colorful history. In 1859, a sailor was accused of treason. He was tried aboard ship in a kangaroo court and hanged. He was thirty-seven."

"That would explain the thirty-seven year cycle." Sam commented.

"There's a photo of him somewhere...here." She handed it to him.

"Is that who you saw last night?" Sienna asked Dean.

"Well, he was missing a hand, but yeah, that's him."

"His right hand." Bella said.

Both boys looked at her. "How did you know?" Sam asked.

"The sailor's body was cremated, but not before they cut off his hand to make a Hand of Glory." Bella replied knowlingly.

"Hand of Glory?" Dean asked. "I think I got one of those at the end of my Thai massage last week." He smiled and Sienna shot him a playful glare.

"Dean, the right hand of a hanged man is a serious occult object," Sam interjecked. "It's very powerful."

"So they say." Bella smiled.

Sienna chuckled darkly. "So this case revolves around a major occult object and you have no angle?"

Bella barely met her eyes before Sam spoke up.

"This still doesn't explain why he's choosing these victims."

"I know why. Who cares? Find the hand, burn it, and stop the bloody thing." Bella said sassily.

Dean narrowed his eyes. "I don't get it, why are you telling us all this?"

Bella's smile was like a spider who'd just trapped her prey.

"Because I know exactly where the hand is."

"Where?" Sienna asked.

"At the seapine museum. It's a macabre bit of maritime history. But I need help."

Sam scrunched his forehead. "What kind of help?"

Sienna saw some bags peeking behind the british pain in the ass.

"And what are those?"

Bella smiled and Sienna had the sudden urge to run.

"Hope you can run in heels, Sienna."

She snorted. "A whole childhood of performing arts schools ought to have done the trick."

Bella and both boys lifted their eyebrows.

Her face flushed and she shrugged. "I tired to convince my mother otherwise."

"Well, I say we should thank her."

Bella smiled cunningly. Now, she definitely felt like she should run.

...

"What is taking so long?"

Bella called into her bathroom, where she sat staring at herself in the mirror.

"Are you serious?" Sienna poked her head out the door at the other woman.

"Oh, just hurry up. I'll get the boys."

In another minute, Sienna had her heels on and the boys were marching through the door. She took one last look in the mirror. Bella had gotten her a royal blue, form-fitting sequined dress. It was cut into a medium-low V and had long sleeves. It showed her figure fantastically. She'd also applied gold eye makeup, matching the sequins of the shimmery dress.

The heels were five inch gold, glittered pumps. She felt ridiculous.

"Okay, let's go." She called as she stepped out of the bathroom.

Sam and Dean threw her suprised looks, both brows practically shot to their hairline. She ignored them, though she could feel Dean's eyes never left her.

Bella and Sam walked out to the car, and Dean hung back. Sienna walked slowly over to him and straightened his lapels before looking up into his dilated pupils.

"You clean up nice, Winchester."

He blinked twice.

"Y-you..I.." He cleared his throat and tried again, while she bit back a laugh.

"I'm flabbergasted, really." His voice was husky and his eyes kept returning to her chest.

She grabbed his chin and made him look her in the eyes.

"Still thinking?" He whispered.

She smiled. "We've got a hunt to do, Winchester."

And she walked out before him, knowing he would gladly have bailed on the whole mission to be alone with her.

As she walked to the car, she saw Bella saunter up to Dean, who was still staring at her.

"Sam, you're meeting Gert at her house. I suggest you leave now." She called.

She turned to Dean, as Sienna watched.

"You know, when this is over, we should really have angry sex."

He made a few faces before crossing his arms, and Sienna had finally made it back over to them.

"Don't objectify me. Plus, if I'm having sex with anyone because of this monkey suit, it's her."

He pointed to Sienna. She lifted her brows and tried, unsuccessfully, to hide her smile as Bella gaped at him.

"Well, you're my date tonight, so suck it up." She sounded angry.

She turned to Sienna. "You're the distraction."

Sienna's eyes popped wide. "Wait, wait, wait- I thought Sam was the distraction."

"Sam's distracting one lonely old lady. You're distracting the whole room. Make the men want you, and the women hate you. As long as all of their attention is on you."

Sienna was baffled.

"And how do you suppose I do that?"

"You're the one who went to performing arts school, princess. Why don't you dance a jig or recite a monologue?" She was definitely laughing at her.

"You can sing." Dean said suddenly.

Sienna raised her eyebrows again. "How do you know that?"

"I heard you. The morning after the first...time." He trailed off and she met his eyes.

He'd heard her singing in the bathroom after that first night in Nebraska. He's never said anything. Sienna just kept staring at him until Dean took her hand, kissing the back of it, and tucking her hand through his arm, like an oldschool gentleman.

"My date, Winchester, remember?" Bella said coldly.

"We're not there yet, Jesus." He said without looking back at her.

Sienna just smiled as she felt the molten lava in her veins, where Dean was changing her deep in her core, forever.

...

When they were all finally in the door, they searched out for Sammy.

Sam came walking to all of them when he saw them at the bar. His gaze stuck on her for longer than usual and Dean smiled and crushed Sam's foot with his own.

"Ow! Okay, okay." He huffed.

"Exactly how long do you expect me to entertain my date?" He asked Dean.

"As long as it takes." Bella answered nonchalantly.

"Look, there's security all over this place, all right? This is an uncrashable party without Gert's invitation, so..." Dean answered.

" _We_ can crash anything, Dean." Sienna winked.

"Well, if Sienna does her job, only about three or four guards should be a problem." Bella said poisonously.

"You know there are limits to what I'll do, right?" Sam said.

"Ditto." Sienna interjecked before downing the rest of her champagne.

"I think you're up, C." Dean turned to her.

She hefted out a big sigh. "Wish me luck."

"Come on, Dean." Bella said and we all parted to play our roles.

Sienna saw out of the corner of his eye, he and Bella were mingling with the crowd, probably waiting for her distraction to make an exit.

Sienna sauntered up to the bartender and leaned a little way across the bar toward him. He blinked a couple times as she put her full attention on him, a slow smile tugging her lips up.

"I was invited tonight to sing a few jazz songs. Is there a microphone hooked up to that system?"

She pointed to the large speakers and blinked innocently at him, handing over her ipod with the instructions for her 'performance' written on paper and taped to the back.

"Y-yes, ma'am, there is. Uh, I'll go set it up for you."

"Perfect." She almost purred.

He flushed and stopped to consult the other bartenders before running off to the maintenance door. Another young, male bartender placed a dry martini in front of her.

"It's on the house." He bowed a little and ran off.

She smiled and sipped on her drink.

The original boy she spoke to rushed back up with a microphone in his hand and a headset attached to his head.

"I would be honored to introduce you, Miss..." He trailed off.

She held her hand elegantly out to him.

"Velma Hart."

He bowed his head a little and ran back the way he came.

Suddenly, the lights begun to dim and Sienna took a big breath before striding out through the crowd, martini in hand and making her way to the middle of the packed room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce tonight's entertainment, the stunning jazz singer: Velma Hart."

The spotlight was on and her music began.

 _"Another bride. Another June."_

She kept her eyes slitted and started to move around slowly with the music.

 _"Another sunny honeymoon. Another season. Another reason. For makin' whoopee."_

She kept her eyes on the security guards, letting her gaze flit between them, singling them out. Within just these two verses, she had the full attention of half the guards in the room. She batted her eyes and turned the other direction.

 _"A lot of shoes. A lot of rice. The groom is nervous- he answers twice."_

She leaned into the guard closest to her, while winking at another who just started paying attention. She turned her back on him, and walked a little ways back into the middle, the crowd moving around her.

 _"It's really killin' that he's so willin' to make whoopee."_

She looked up and her gaze were immediately trapped by Dean's wide green eyes.

 _"Picture a little love nest. Down where the roses cling. Picture the same sweet love nest. Think what a year can bring."_

Her gaze slipped to Bella's for a fraction of a second. She looked between her and the door. All the room's attention was on her- the perfect time to drag Dean out of here and get the hand. Sienna turned gracefully as Bella pushed Dean towards the door slowly.

 _"He's washin' dishes...and baby clothes."_

She kept on with the song, sashaying around the crowd like she did this every night. Her mom would be proud.

She watched Sam and Gert- a very friendly Gert it seemed- dancing near the bar. She started looking at the faces of the crowd. Memories of her mother ran on a loop in her head as she played the character she was assigned.

It wasn't a bad time. To be honest, she was having fun.

The song ended and a smattering of applause came from the crowd. She smiled and bowed her head a fraction. The whole ordeal was only supposed to take about five minutes, so she only had one other song prepared. As the music began to play, she moved her hips lightly to the beat.

 _"I got out walkin' after midnight. Out in the moonlight, just like we used to do."_

She was getting nervous. What would she do if they weren't finished?

 _"I'm always walkin' after midnight searchin' for you."_

Many people were slow dancing now. Her heels clicked on the floor as she moved her way to the bar. She hopped up on a barstool and sat on the counter, her legs crossed, still singing.

 _"And as the skies turn gloomy, night winds whiper to me. I'm as lonesome as I can be."_

About halfway through the song, she spotted Dean and Bella talking to Sam and Gert. Bella took Gert by the shoulders and ushered her to the kitchen. As the instrumental played, Dean started making his way to her.

He'd gotten there just in time for her to start the song back up and sing directly to him. She leaned forward and gave him a hand, which he pressed to his lips, slowly helping her down off the bar.

 _"I stopped to see a weeping willow cry upon his pillow. Maybe he's crying for me. And as the skies turn gloomy, night wind whispers to me. I'm as lonesome as I can be."_

He smiled shyly at her.

 _"I go out walkin' after midnight out in the starlight just hoping you may be somewhere walkin' after midnight searchin' for me."_

She finished with one hand on Dean's shoulder. He was staring at her with wide eyes and a partly opened mouth. Without looking away from him, she addressed the crowd.

"You've been a lovely crowd. Excuse me, while I take a five minute break."

She smiled and handed the microphone to the bartender with the headset.

"Keep it warm for me, will you?" She batted her eyelashes and he sucked in a breath before nodding rigorously.

She turned to Dean and he chuckled. "It's not very nice to stun the kid like that."

"That was my job, Winchester. I'm just good at it." She smiled cunningly.

He chuckled again and she tucked her arm through his and let him escort her out.

Once they all got in the Impala, Sam asked to see the hand. Dean went to pull it out of his inside pocket, but instead pulled out a minitature ship in a bottle.

"I'm gonna kill her." Dean said through clenched teeth.

...

When they reached the motel, Sienna shuffled to her room, heels in hand. She didn't notice Dean until the door almost closed on him. He pushed it open and stood in the doorway, staring at her with a very serious expression.

She turned and tilted her head to the side at him. "Yes?"

He strolled in, lightly closing the door behind him. He was making her very nervous; her heart thudded desparately in her chest.

"All those people got to dance around you..." He trailed off as he clasped her left hand in his and held it up. "But none of them got to dance with you. I want the priviledge."

He placed a hand on her waist and pulled her closer to him. Her hand went to his shoulder and they started to sway.

"You know, this is really dorky in a chick-flick kind of way." Sienna whispered as she pressed her head to his chest.

He chuckled. "Do you have any more hidden talents I should know about?"

"Not that I can remember."

"I've never seen anyone looks so..alluring." He whispered.

She tilted her head back, laughing lightly.

"I've got nothing on my mother. She was a professional jazz singer when she was my age. You know, before she became a hunter."

"Why'd she become a hunter?" He asked.

"One night after a show, her pianist turned on her. He was possessed and he almost killed her. But she fought him off. After that, she never wanted to feel so weak and scared again. She decided she'd become stronger than what scared her."

Dean was quiet for a moment. "Wow. Your mom sounds incredible."

"She was." Sienna sighed. "I think that's why Zeus chose her. One half of her was this sensual, beautiful jazz singer, and the other half badass warrior priestess."

Dean smiled down at her. "Sounds like you."

She blushed and got trapped in his pretty green eyes.

He lightly pinched her chin in between his thumb and pointer finger, still staring into her eyes.

"Are you still thinking?" He whispered in a husky voice.

She parted her lips slightly.

"Yes, but we can just blame it on the dress." She whispered back.

He smiled and leaned down, planting a slow kiss on her lips. He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. A knock at the door had Dean pulling away slowly. He opened his eyes an inch away from her lips and groaned.

He stomped to the door and opened it fast.

"Really bad time, Sam. Like really bad."

Sam stepped inside and Bella followed him. Dean practically growled.

"What are you doing here?"

As it became obvious they'd have to try to help Bella, Sienna grabbed her regular clothes and went to duck in the bathroom and change. Dean caught her as she attempted to leave.

"What are you doin'?" He asked innocently.

"Changing. I don't think I can ghost hunt very well in this." She pointed down herself.

Dean groaned. "But the dress." He whined.

He rounded on Bella. "I really hate you."

Sienna laughed at his hissy fit and he turned to playfully glare at her too.

As they loaded into the car to go to the cemetery near by, Sienna got the feeling that she wouldn't be 'thinking' for very much longer.

Once they arrived at the cemetery, Sam got busy putting the ritual together. Sienna and Dean stood on either side of Bella in protection. A storm picked up above them and Sienna's hair whipped wildly in the wind.

Sienna crossed her arms over her chest and shivered as rain started to pour from the dark clouds above.

"Sammy better start readng!" Dean yelled.

As Sam started to read in Latin, the storm got heavier, snuffing out the candles and drenching all four of them. The appariation appeared behind Dean, but before he could get a shot in, the ghost lifted him and flung him like a rag doll away from the two girls.

Sienna shot and he vansished moments before the shot went through his ethereal body. Bella grabbed on to her wrist as she gagged on water. Sienna slapped her back solidly, forcing the water out of her.

Suddenly, she felt a terrible chill and she was sailing through the air. She hit her shoulder against a tall gravestone and fell to the ground. Her shoulder was scraped, and she'd bitten her lip, but other than that, she was perfectly okay.

Sienna fought to get to her feet in the fierce wind, and rushed back to Bella just as Dean got to her.

"Sammy, read faster!" He yelled.

Sam finished reading and the wind let up. The three on the ground looked up at the scene. The one-handed ghost had stopped attacking Bella and turned to another specter.

"You...hanged me." He growled.

The other ghost looked deeply sad.

"I'm sorry."

"You're own brother!" He yelled.

"I'm so sorry." He repeated.

The accusing specter attacked the other and they disintergrated into the ground.

...

When the three hunters were back at the motel, clean, and dry, Bella, once again, made an unexpected arrival. Niether hunter looked up as she barged in.

"You should learn to lock your doors. Anyone can just barge in." She quipped.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Anyone just did. Did you come to say goodbye or thank you?"

"I've come to settle affairs." She said, pulling stacks of cash out of her purse.

"Giving the spirit what it really wanted- his own brother. Very clever, Sam."

"So here, it's $10,000. That should cover it."

They all stared at her in shock.

"I don't like being in anyone's debt."

Dean squinted at her. "So ponying up ten grand is easier for you, than a simple thank you?"

Sienna laughed. "Do you really think it'd be sincere, Dean? Just take the money."

Bella smiled at her. "And that is why I call her, and not you. She understands me."

"You're so damaged." Dean laughed.

"Takes one to know one." Bella replied and walked out the door. Dean narrowed his eyes after her.

Sammy's phone rang and he stepped outside the open door to take it. Dean was distracted by that, giving Sienna the perfect opening to snatch his cash. His head whipped back towards her and she stared innocently up at him.

"Give it back." He warned, but she laughed and bounded up on the bed, so she was bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Come get it, Winchester."

Dean didn't get very far. When Sam walked back in murmuring about a vamp hunt Bobby was sending them on, Sienna had her foot to the middle of Dean's chest and he was still trying to reach her.

Sam busted up laughing at the scene and Dean turned to him, smiling. Sienna hadn't heard Sam laugh that hard the whole time she'd known him.

Dean looked back up into her eyes with the most joyous look, she instantly quit teaasing him. He held out a hand.

"Come on, Jerk. We've got work to do."


	9. A Man with Nothing to Lose

Hey, y'all, so this is sort of a filler chapter. BUT, I still would LOVE your feedback for what episodes you'd like to see, etc. Alsooo, what do you think about a Raina/Sam match up later? Let me know! SHOUT OUT to ! I appreciate your reviews so much!

As the hunters arrived in the town Bobby told them, Dean's cell rang. Sam was asleep in the back, and Sienna sat up front looking through Dean's tapes.

"Hello?" Dean answered.

Sienna couldn't hear the other side of the conversation.

"Just pulling into a small town in Pennsylvania. Why?"

He paused.

"Hunting vamps."

Sienna heard the line go dead. Dean pulled the phone away from his ear, looking confused.

"Who was it?" Sienna asked.

"Bella."

She raised her eyebrows.

"And you think it was a good idea telling her where we are?"

He pursed his lips, but didn't answer. He'd been quiet on the ride and Sienna was afraid to ask him what was wrong. They'd been trying to ignore the fire they brought out in each other, but Sienna wasn't sure she wanted to keep ignoring Dean. Would it be harder to stay away altogether, or have this time now, before he was gone?

She didn't know.

When they pulled into the town, it was already midnight, but she'd slept in the car and wasn't tired at all. They pulled up to the first motel they saw, and Dean hopped out to get the rooms. She turned around in her seat and shook Sam's shoulder, waking him up.

He pulled himself out of the car and stretched, while yawning. Dean came back and handed them each a room key.

They'd gotten lucky this time- her room had a door adjoining it to theirs. She walked into their space and saw Dean sharpening the machete he used for vamps.

"Dean, you haven't slept since before we left Massachusetts. Why don't you let me and Sammy go out tonight, while you sleep?"

"I'm fine." He murmured, still focused on the blade.

Sienna pursed her lips, but didn't say anything.

Once they were all geared up, they set out to find this sloppy vamp.

Walking through an empty part of town full of warehouses, they came across a massive pool of blood, coming from a man whose neck was still squirting fresh blood. Sam bent down and started trying to stop the bleeding, calling 911.

"Hey, we're going to get you some help, okay?"

Dean was all business. "Where'd she go?"

The guy pointed and Dean set off, Sienna following semi-close behind. She was watching Dean closely, that's why she saw what an idiot he was being. He couldn't find the vamp, and Sienna watched in horror, as he slit his arm with the machete and called out to it.

Sienna marched over to him. "What the fuck are you doing?!"

He jumped like he didn't see her there, but it was too late. The vamp had come out of hiding, betrayed by her needs. As she made her way toward them, Dean kept moving further from her, holding out his bleeding arm.

This pissed Sienna off. He was acting like a damn snack! Dean continued to goad her into an attack and dropped his machete. Sienna stared open-mouthed at him. What. The. Fuck. Her anger helped her draw power until a soft glow was illuminating her body.

When the vampire lunged to attack Dean, Sienna simply stepped in her way and wrapped an electrified hand around her throat. She spasmed, stunned by the electricity, and Sienna shot the full needle of Dead Man's blood she had stashed in her jacket into her neck, knocking her out cold.

Sienna let her drop to the ground before narrowing her eyes at Dean.

"What the hell was that, Winchester? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

He scoffed. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Cutting it a little close, don't you think?" Sam asked.

"It's just chum in the water." Dean was dismissive.

"And if I did that? Or Sam? What would you say?" Sienna's voice shot out.

Dean finally looked at her then, an angry set to his jaw, but he didn't say anything- proving Sienna's point. Sam scooped up the vamp and they took her to one of the nearby abandoned buildings to interrogate her.

When she'd finally woken up, she tugged on the restraints they'd used to tie her to the chair. The boys stood in front of her, and Sienna leaned against one of the far walls.

"You with us?" Dean asked as the vamp started to struggle harder.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. You're not going anywhere." He sighed.

"Where's your nest?" Sam got straight to the point.

"What?" She cried.

"Nest- where you and your bloodsucking pals hang out." Dean growled.

"I don't know what you're talking about! Please!"

None of them even blinked. They were too used to this.

"I don't..feel good." She closed her eyes against the lights.

"Yeah, well, you're gonna feel a hell of a lot worse if we give you another shot of Dead Man's blood." Dean smirked.

"Just let me go." She said staring at the needle in horror.

"You know we can't do that." Sam shook his head.

"I'm telling you the truth! I'm just- I took something. I'm freaking out! I don't know what's going on!"

Sienna stepped away from the wall and approached her.

"You took something?" She asked.

"Yes!" She answered her.

The poor girl took two deep breaths and met eyes with Sienna.

"I can't come down. I just want to come down."

"What's your name?" Sam asked politely.

"Lucy. Please just let me go."

"Alright Lucy, how about this, if you tell us what happened, we'll let you go." Sam reasoned.

Both Dean and Sienna looked at him like he was crazy.

"You will?" She whispered, making eye contact with Sienna that she couldn't return.

"Uh, I don't really..it's not that clear. I was at Spider. The club on Jefferson. And there was this guy- he was buying me drinks."

"Oh no." Sienna sighed covering her face.

"This guy- what's he look like?" Sam asked.

"He was old-like thirty. He had brown hair. A leather jacket. Deacon or Dixon or something! Said he was a dealer. He had something for me."

"Never take drugs from strange men." Sienna sighed again.

"Something?" Dean asked her.

"Something new. Better than anything you've ever tried."

"What were you looking for?" Sienna asked in a sad voice.

"Something...trippy. Like, acid or something!"

She groaned. "So, it didn't faze you that it was liquid."

"He..put a few drops in my drink."

Sienna just shook her head.

"Was the drug red and thick?" Dean asked.

Sienna grimaced and looked up at Dean. "That's brilliant."

"That was vampire blood he dosed you with."

"What?" She exclaimed.

"You just took a big steaming shot of the nastiest virus out there." Dean kept on.

"You're crazy! He gave me roofies or something! The next thing I know, we're at his place and he says he's gonna get me something to eat, just wait. But I get so hungry."

"So you busted out." Sam finished.

"But it won't wear off...whatever he gave me."

Dean paced around her. "Lights are too bright? Sunshine hurt your skin?"

"Yeah." She answered hestiantly. "And smells...and I can hear blood pumping."

"I hate to tell you this, sweetheart, but your blood's never pumping again." Dean sighed.

"Not mine." She met Dean's eyes. "Yours."

She looked at Sam. "And yours."

Finally her gaze rested on Sienna, her head tilting to the side. "But not yours."

Sienna smiled. "I'm not meant to be your lunch. My blood wouldn't smell tasty either."

"I can hear a heart beating from a half a block away. I just want it to stop."

"Alright listen, wavy gravy, it's not going to stop. You've already killed two people- almost three." Dean leaned over her.

"No, I couldn't! I was hallucinating!" She cried.

"You killed them, alright? We've been following a sloppy trail of corpses and it leads straight to you."

She kept up the denial.

All three hunters walked out of the room.

"Poor girl." Sam looked upset.

"We don't have a choice." Dean said resolutely before walking back into the room with his machete. Sam and Sienna started to walk away from the soon-to-be gruesome sight.

"Have you tried drugs, Sienna?" He asked.

She raised her eyebrows and smiled her crooked smile.

"I've had _fun_. Don't judge."

His laugh had Dean, who was approaching them, asking what was so funny.

"Sienna's gonna tell us a trippy story."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but spoke up anyway.

"Okay, I'll tell you one. Have you ever read The Odyssey?" She asked Sam. He nodded and she continued.

"Well, that's more of a history book than a story book. After my mom died, I was...fucked up. So I did what everyone does and went to Vegas."

Both boys smiled and Dean chuckled.

"I wandered into this hotel- The Lotus Hotel. It was literally the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Gambling, amusement park rides, games, booze- all this INSIDE the hotel. And some waitress approached me and said I was a VIP and I got this card with an unlimited amount of spending."

She shook her head. "Gods, I think I spent three..maybe four months there."

"Months?!" Sam asked. "You spent months at this hotel- for free?"

"Yeah, well that's the thing at the Lotus Hotel. They make you never want to leave. I thought I'd been there for two _days_. Now- the trick is they have this 'signature' chocolate-tasting treat called Lotus Flowers."

Sam half-way gasped. "They're real? The lotus-eaters? And living in _Vegas_?"

Sienna grimaced. "Yeah. They're real all right. And the high is incredible. Everything is bubbly and you can't be anything but happy. Everything is slowed down. You live the best moments for so long. It was honestly the most fun I've ever had."

"Sign me up." Dean laughed.

"No! You can't ever go there. It's a lot of fun while you're there, but try to leave, and everyone freaks the hell out."

"How did you get out of there? I thought once you joined the lotus-eaters, you never got out." Sam asked.

"Raina called. She'd heard about my mom and no one knew where I was, obviously. But when I answered I sounded like I was high as hell..because I was. You know, all 'Hey guuuurl, you've got to come to Vegas, I'm having the time of my life, etc, etc.' And a waitress came up to offer a lotus flower while I was talking, so Raina must have heard her. She started freaking out and just screamed 'LOTUS-EATERS' into my ear until I realized what she meant and the spell broke."

"Okay, but how'd you get out?"

"How do you think? I fought my way out. It wasn't easy though. I mean, they may let some humans go, but a powerful demigod? Yeah, right."

Sienna shook her head and looked at them seriously.

"Don't eat the lotus flowers."

They had been at that club, Spider, for about an hour. Sienna sat at the bar alone, waiting for the guy who'd started this to show up. The boys were somewhere in the club, lurking in the shadows and watching her for a signal.

After another half-hour, she got up, looking around until Dean and Sam popped up in front of her. "I don't think this is working." She explained.

"Maybe he strictly wants blondes." Sienna suggested as they walked out.

"I'm telling you, Dean, this is the hunting ground." Sam was saying.

Dean wasn't paying much attention to him anymore. He was watching a man direct a blonde down an alleyway. Sienna grabbed for her sword, Dean his machete.

They caught up to them just in time. Dean grabbed the vamp's arm, preventing him from dosing this next girl, and punched him in the gut. Sienna kicked the vamp in the nose when he tried to get on his feet.

"Get out of here!" Sam yelled to the girl, momentarily distracting them.

They all chased after the vamp as he ran down the back alley. They rounded the corner and came face-to-face with two older men. She didn't get a good look at either of them before they started shooting.

"What the fuck! Who're these people?!" Sienna yelled as they ducked behind cars for protection. They finally all posted up behind a concrete wall. Dean was breathing hard when he grabbed her arm.

"Are you okay?" He looked panicked.

"I'm fine." She huffed. Power thrummed through her from the adrenaline. "I just want to know who the hell is shooting at me!"

"Sienna, you're bleeding." He said sternly.

She paused and looked down at the arm he still held. Blood was seeping out of a rip in her army green jacket. She ripped it the rest of the way in one swift jerk and felt her bicep.

"He just grazed me. It's fine."

Dean grunted angrily.

"Alright, you run. I'll draw them off." Dean spit out.

"What?! You're crazy!" Sam yelled.

"Dean, what-Dean! Are you kidding me?!" She yelled as he ran off.

She practically growled as she rolled back and found an easy passage out of there.

"Come on, Sam."

Sienna and Sam were both practically pacing waiting for Dean to show up at the motel.

"I'm gonna kill him." She murmured over and over again.

Finally, he walked in the door, casual as ever.

"There you are!" Sam yelled.

"What in the fuck were you-" Sienna started at the same time.

She decided Sam could go first.

"Sorry, stopped for a slice." Dean smiled cheesily, ignoring Sam's yelling.

He looked her over. "You okay, C?" He pulled on her jacket, trying to look at her arm.

"I'm fine, Dean." She said sourly. He raised his brows and looked up at her.

"Nice move you pulled back there, Dean- Running right at the weapons!" Sam scolded.

"Well, what can I say? I'm a badass."

Sienna scoffed. "Dean I'm at least as badass as you, if not more, but I'm not an idiot!"

He narrowed his eyes at her, but didn't respond to her, just to Sam.

"So, I guess Gordon's out of jail."

"Uh, yeah, I guess so. You know, how did he know where to find us?"

Sienna raised an eyebrow. "I wonder where, Dean?"

Dean's shoulders fell. "That bitch."

He pulled out his cell, typed something in, and put it on speaker.

"Hi, Bella."

"Hello, Dean!" She sounded cheery.

"Question for you. When you called me yesterday, it wasn't to thank me for saving your ass, was it?"

"No. Gordon Walker paid me to tell him where you were." She replied nonchalantly.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, he had a gun on me, what else was I supposed to do?" She laughed.

"I don't know, maybe pick up the phone, and tell us that a raging psychopath was dropping by?!" He yelled.

"I did fully intend to call. I just got a bit sidetracked."

"He tried to kill us! He shot Sienna!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was such a big deal. After all, there are three of you and one of him." She said with no hint of humor.

"There were two of them."

"Oh." She sounded bored.

"Bella, if we make it out of this alive, the first thing I'm going to do is kill you."

She scoffed. "You're not serious. I've put you in worse situations- even shot Sam, but the girl gets hurt-"

"You better stop that sentence right there." Dean growled.

"Listen to my voice and tell me if I'm serious."

He flipped the phone closed.

Sienna had slipped into her side of the motel rooms and shrugged off her ruined jacket. She turned and Dean had followed her. She raised an eyebrow, but didn't speak.

"Let me look at it." Dean grabbed her wrist.

She didn't shuck him off, but remained quiet still. Her anger was still very fresh.

She sat on the bed as he cleaned the half-inch deep cut. It ran the entire length of her bicep. It didn't hurt, and she wasn't even going to clean it, but he insisted.

"You know, it's going to be a long six months, if you won't talk to me." Dean mumbled.

"It's not going to _be_ six months if you keep being stupid." She answered back.

"Why delay the inevitable?" He kept his eyes trained on her arm, though she was staring him full in the face.

Sienna snorted through her nose and told him exactly what she thought.

"The days are ticking down, and you're scared. It's easier to put yourself in the line of fire, then have it come to you?"

Dean huffed and crossed his arms across his chest, narrowing his eyes at her a fraction. She smiled ruefully.

"Not used to someone seeing right through you?"

Dean was saved from responding by Sienna's cell ringing in her torn jacket's pocket. She had to crawl a little way on the bed to reach it. She looked at the ID and laughed without humor.

Sienna watched Dean walk into his and Sammy's room before she took the call.

"Trying to save your ass?" She answered.

Bella sighed. "I don't like it when people hold grudges against me, and more to the point, I'd rather Dean didn't kill me, so I went ahead and found Gordon's exact location for you."

"Oh, how sweet." Sienna could hear the boys discussing Gordon in the other room as she rolled off the bed and approached them, putting the phone on speaker.

"I used a talking board to contact the other side."

"And?" Dean asked.

"Warehouse. Two stories, riverfront, neon sign outside."

"Thanks." Dean said sarcastically.

"One more thing. The spirit had a message for you. 'Leave town, run like hell, and whatever you do, don't go after Gordon.' For whatever that's worth."

Dean flipped the phone closed.

"Well, are we going or what?" Sienna asked.

Both boys shrugged and grabbed their weapons.

In ten minutes, they were creeping into the vampire's nest. Blood smears on the floor led them directly to the vamp they'd been hunting for three days. As they approached, the vamp was on his knees in front of two already-beheaded vampires.

Dean snuck toward a large knife on the table, but before he could advance the vamp spoke.

"Go ahead. Do it. Kill me."

"What happened here?" Sam asked.

"Gordon Walker. I never should have brought a hunter here. Never. I just- I just wanted some kind of revenge. So stupid- exposing him to my family."

"Oh yeah, you're such a family man." Dean quipped.

"You don't understand. I was desperate. You ever felt desperate?"

Uh-oh. Sienna was watching Dean carefully as the vamp spoke directly to him.

"I've lost everyone I ever loved. I'm staring down eternity alone. Can you think of a worse hell?"

"Well, there's Hell." Dean's sarcasm was waning.

"I wasn't thinking. I just...I didn't care anymore. Do you know what that's like? When you just don't give a damn? It's like...It's like being dead already. So just go ahead. Do it."

Dean looked like a deer caught in headlights when Sam called his name.

"Dean. Head wasn't cut off- it was ripped off..with someone's bare hands."

Sienna's little gasp was the only thing heard in the room.

"Dixon, what did you do to Gordon?" She asked.

His broken sobs were the only answer she got.

The next morning, they'd split up looking for any sign of Gordon- who they were about nintey-five percent sure was a vampire now. No luck.

"Big city." Sam murmured, studying a map.

"It's like a giant haystack and Gordon's a deadly needle." Dean agreed. "We're running out of daylight. Won't have the sun slowing him down."

Sienna left the door open between their rooms and collapsed on her bed. They hadn't slept at all the night before and she was exhausted.

"Hey, give me your phone. If Gordon knows our cell numbers, he can use the cell signal to track us down. Sienna?"

"It's on the bathroom counter." She called.

She heard Sam stomping on the phones.

"Sammy, stay here."

"What? Where you goin' now?" Sam asked.

"I'm going after Gordon."

Sienna sat up off her bed. "What?" She called.

"You heard me." Dean yelled back.

"Not alone, you're not." Sam said stubbornly.

"Agreed." She yelled, annoyed at Dean's 'one for all' attitude.

"I don't need you to sign me a permission slip, okay? He's after you, not me, and he's turbocharged. I want you to stay out of harm's way. I'll take care of it."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't want me." She got up and walked over to them. "And you're not leaving me here."

He looked up at her. "No way." He shook his head.

Sienna rolled her eyes. "He can't hear my heart beat, and wouldn't want to drink my blood. If anyone should be going alone- it's me."

"You're not going by yourself. You're gonna get yourself killed!" Sam complained to Dean.

"Just another day at the office." Dean shrugged off their concern. "It's a massively dangerous day at the office."

"So you're the guy with nothing to lose now, huh? Oh wait, let me guess, it's because you're already dead, right?" Sam was getting angry.

This was one fight Sienna wouldn't diffuse. Dean needed to hear this.

"If the shoes fits." Dean clenched his jaw.

"You know what, man? I'm sick and tired of your kamikaze trip!"

"Whoa, whoa, kamikaze? I'm more like a ninja." Dean tried to joke.

"That's not funny." Sam was dead serious.

"It's a little funny."

"Not, it's not."

"What do you want me to do, Sam, huh? Sit around all day writing sad poems about how I'm going to die? You know what, I got one. Let's see, what rhymes with 'Shut up Sam?'"

Sienna bit her lip as she watched Sam gear up.

"Dude, drop the attitude Dean. Quit turning everything into a punchline. And you know something else? Stop trying to act like you're not afraid."

"I'm not."

"You're lying! And you may as well drop it 'cause I can see right through you."

Dean's gaze cut to Sienna's as Sam mirrored her words from earlier. Sam chuckled without humor.

"And so can she."

"You got no idea what you're talking about- either of you." Dean was turning defensive.

"Yeah, I do. You're scared. You're scared because your year is running out and you're still going to Hell and you're freaked."

"And how do you know that? How do either of you know that?"

Sam laughed.

"Are you kidding, man? Sienna knows because you've had your guard down with her since day one. _Day one_. She sees through you like glass! And I know you! Because I've been following you around my entire life! I mean, I've been looking up to you since I was four, Dean- studying you, trying to be just like my big brother. So yeah, I know you- better than anyone else in the entire world. And this is exactly how you act when you're terrified."

Dean didn't say anything. He just stared at the floor.

"I mean, I can't blame you. It's just..." Sam trailed off like he hadn't meant to say so much.

"What?" Dean asked, his voice devoid of humor or anger.

"I wish you would drop the show and be my brother again, 'cause..just because." Sam finished on a whisper.

Dean hung his head and nodded.

"Alright, we'll hole up. Cover our scents so he can't track us and wait the night out here."

After a couple moments of silence, Sam stood and left for the herbs they needed. Dean started stacking furniture against one door, and then came and sat heavily next to Sienna on his bed.

"Is what Sam said true?" He looked down at her. "Do you see through me like glass?"

She smiled. "It's pretty clear, Winchester."

"I see through you like a blind-ass bat." He grumbled.

She laughed and bumped his shoulder with hers. "One of us has to know what we're doing."

"Do you?" He lowered his voice. "Know what you're doing?"

She laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder. "No, probably not."

"Well, that makes me feel better." His voice was muffled by her hair.

They stayed like that until Sam came back. Then Dean secured the other door while Sam started burning herbs. Dean came back to sit with her, machete in hand, when his new phone rang.

"Dean you've had the phone two hours, who'd you give the number to?" Sam said exasperated.

"Nobody." Dean's forehead scrunched in confusion and he answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Dean." Gordon's voice came through on the line.

"How'd you get this number?"

"Your scent's all over the cellphone store. Of course, I can't smell you now. Where are you?"

"I guess you'll just have to find us." Dean replied smugly.

"I'd rather you come to me."

"What's the matter, Gordo? You're not afraid of us, are you? We're just sitting here. Bring it on!"

"And let that little abomination of the Gods get her hands on me? I don't think so."

Dean shot a look at Sienna before he heard a woman pleading.

"Factory on Riverside off the turnpike. Be here in twenty minutes or the girl dies."

"Gordon let the girl go."

"Bye, Dean."

"Gordon, don't do this! You don't kill innocent people. You're still a hunter."

"No..I'm a monster." He disconnected the line.

The hunters tore the barricade off the door and ran to the Impala, hoping they'd be in time to save her. Once at the factory, Dean had the Colt, Sam a machete and Sienna her sword. They advanced cautiously, looking for any sign of the vampire.

They heard her cries and quickly came upon a woman tied to metal piping. The boys ran over and Sienna stayed vigilant, watching their backs. They were untying her and telling her reassurances. Dean lifted her cradle style.

"Sam stay close!" He yelled.

They crossed an invisible boundary, and a metal garage door separated Sam and Sienna from Dean and Gordon's victim.

"Sam?! Sienna?!" Dean yelled. "God damn it!"

Sam was banging on the metal and Sienna held his arm back.

"We're just calling attention to ourselves." She whispered before whipping around taking a protective stance in front of Sam.

Sam's small chuckle had her turning around and glaring. "Dude." She chastized.

He struggled to stop the laughs.

"I'm sorry, you're just so little. There's like a whole foot of me he can still reach over your head. Shouldn't you be hiding behind me?"

She smiled. "He's not trying to kill me."

"Yeah, well, he can still get this half." He gestured to his face.

She tried to keep her laughs quiet.

"We gotta concentrate. Stop makin' me laugh, jerk!" She whispered.

Sam and her went back to back.

"Wait." She whispered.

She closed her eyes and listened for any stray noises. Metal was clinking above their heads. She turned and looked straight up. The rafters were only about fifty feet away. A plan was hatching in her head.

As she stood back up, she whispered her plan to Sam.

"No way! That's crazy and if you get hurt Dean is going to kill me."

She rolled her eyes. "Sam, I'm hard as hell to kill, and have you ever seen me miss?"

He hesitated. "No, but still-"

She leapt up to the first rung of the ladder going to the short second floor.

"Then trust me and watch your back!"

He groaned as she continued climbing. She hit rung after rung and was on the second floor in seconds. She found a tall machine and started climbing the side of it, until finally she could reach the rafters. She tested her weight on one, swinging and even pulling down. They held without even a creak.

She wrapped her legs around the support beam and pulled herself up, swinging from one beam to another with ease. She did stuff like this at her house- she loved to train. Finally, she was hanging her legs fifty feet over Sam, just waiting for Gordon to show.

Sienna watched Sam moving in the dark with his hand out in front of him and almost laughed. Humans have such dull senses.

"Gordon! You got me where you want me! You might as well come out and fight!" Sam goaded him.

Gordon stepped out of the shadows, only a couple feet from Sam.

"I'm right here, Sam. Where's Sienna?"

Sam tried to play it off. "She's with Dean."

"No, she's with you. I may not be able to hear her heartbeat, but I can smell that immortal blood from a mile away. Your brother's little girlfiriend is quite the deadly halfbreed. So where is she?"

Sam didn't say a word when Gordon disappeared from his sight.

"I don't want to play this game, Sienna." Gordon called out. "You know, you're a monster too. Just like me."

She wanted so badly to respond, but she'd blow her cover if she did. She watched Sam move to the middle of the room.

"So this is really the way you want to die, huh?" He yelled, trying to coax Gordon out of hiding.

"Damn right I do. You have no idea what I faced to get here. I lost everything. My life. But, it's worth it because I'm finally going to kill the most dangerous thing I ever hunted. You're not human, Sam. Neither is Sienna."

"Look who's talking." Sam blurted.

Gordon was closing in on Sam and Sienna start jumping from beam to beam, catching up to him until she hovered just over them. She stayed lithe on her feet, ready to jump at any time. She wasn't listening to what they were saying anymore- only analyzing their movements.

Sam kept his machete positioned towards Gordon's voice, though Sienna knew he couldn't see him. She could see Gordon now. She stalked him from above, and Sam kept him so preoccupied he didn't have any idea.

Finally, he stopped the preliminary talking and boasting. Sam was cornered and she was in just the right position. Gordon tackled Sam through a false wall and Sienna had to swing on the wood pillars to keep up. She watched as he fought both Sam and Dean, looking for the perfect opportunity.

Sam held him in place, barbed wire tight around his neck. Sienna smiled and jumped. As she sailed through the dead air, she raised her sword, calling on her father's power. She landed square on Gordon's back, shocking him hard enough for him to convulse, before she sliced his head clean off in one motion.

She fell to her back, her legs still wrapped around Gordon's headless body. Sam and her were panting. He leaned over to help her up, knowing she'd be drained. She took it and leaned on him.

Sam chuckled. "Nice plan, C."

"You just charged a supervamped out Gordon..with no weapon. That's a little reckless, don't you think?" Dean wheezed out as he joined them.

"I had his back." Sienna whispered.

"And you. Where did you even come from?" Dean asked her, taking her other arm.

She pointed straight up, but Dean couldn't see anything but darkness.

"The rafters." She mumbled.

"You jumped?!" Dean had stopped.

Sienna opened her eyes and flashed her crooked smile.

"Hey, it worked. How many of your plans worked like you wanted them to?"

Sam snickered. "She's got a point Dean."

Dean didn't say anything, but he caught her gaze again, and she could tell he was thankful she'd had his little brother's back.

They got back to the motel room and collapsed. They were all dog tired. Sam was asleep in his bed before Sienna had even made it to her room. Dean followed sluggishly behind her.

She sat at the edge of her bed and stared up at him. His neck was still bloody from Gordon's bite. She stood and grabbed a rag from the bathroom. He sat in her spot and bared his neck to her. As she got to work, he stared at her like she was an algebra problem.

"What?" She asked.

"You and Sammy have a good relationship." She raised an eyebrow, but nodded.

"He's like the brother I never had."

She finished cleaning his neck and leaned forward to toss the rag on the bathroom floor.

"What did you really want to ask me?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

He sighed. "I don't really understand why Sam was so angry. Sad, I get. But, mad? Why?"

"Dean, he's angry because he's frustrated. There's nothing he or I can do to help you. I mean, we save people every day, but his own brother? It's shitty. And you acting like a martyr just made it so..real. Like, it's bad enough that we only get six months- you moving the day up to today or tomorrow is too much. We're not prepared for that. You have to at least try to give us the six months that we're due, Winchester."

He'd turned toward her while she spoke, brushing her hair back from her neck.

"Give us?" He asked.

She laughed softly. "I was mad, too."

"For the same reason?"

She nodded and smiled shyly. While she stared into his pretty green eyes, she realized she'd decided.

"You know what?" She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"What?" He whispered, grabbing for her waist.

"I'm done thinking." She gave him a meaningful look and his lips crashed into hers.

He pulled her hips as close as he could get and ran his hands all over her body. They'd done a poor job at disguising their feelings for each other. Sienna didn't care how much it hurt later. All she wanted right now was him.

He pulled away for a moment.

"Maybe this isn't the best-"

His doubts were cut off as she stripped off her shirt and his pupils dilated.

"Never mind." He murmured as her peppered her neck with feathery kisses. Goosebumps raised on her skin. He hooked her legs around his waist and lifted her to the middle of her bed, leaning over to shut the door between them and Sam.

She pulled his shirt over his head and ran her hands up and down his sculpted chest. He groaned into her neck, tickling her skin with his breath. His hands worked towards the clasp of her bra on her back. Her hands went to the front of his jeans.

They'd been walked in on and interrupted so many times, that they didn't waste time. The were both stripped in no time, Sienna wrapped in Dean's arms. He pulled her close, kissing her collarbone, her jaw, her neck.

He finally met her lips, but instead of the raging wildfire blazing, his slow, stretched out kiss ignited the molten lava that'd been slowly changing them both over the last two months. He pulled back just enough to speak, his lips still brushing hers with every syllable.

"I'm sorry we don't get more time."

She gave him a few more slow, sweet kisses.

"Let's make the most of the time we do have."

He grunted and pushed her back down to the bed, one hand on her hip. She sighed breathily and let Dean usher her to a blissful sleep.

Dean POV

Dean woke up happy. He didn't know how long it'd been since he'd started the day genuinely happy. He opened his eyes and looked down. He lay in his boxers, twisted in the blanket with Sienna. Her head lay on his chest and his arm curled around her.

He stared down at her, content where he was.

Sienna made a tiny whimpering noise and he stared at her closer, his brow furrowing. Her hands were wrapped in the sheets, and he watched her curl her fingers into her palms and squeeze.

"Hey, hey." He whispered and attempted to relax her grip.

He pulled back and looked into her face. Her eyes were still closed, but he could see her eyes darting around behind their lids and her breaths started coming as little pants.

He pulled her up to him, and lightly shook her shoulders. She woke and instantly sucked in a deep breath, her chest heaving. Dean ran his hands along her arms, brushing away the goosebumps that had risen there.

"Are you okay?" He whispered in her hair.

She turned and pressed her face to his chest, taking big gulps of air.

"Dreams." She whispered.

"Tell me. It might help."

She pulled back and stared into his eyes. The stress had caused the gold to come out in hers. She clenched her teeth and shook her head rapidly.

"No." He barely heard her.

"Why not?"

"Because it won't change it, Dean. Even if you were here- that's the point. All of the things I see come true, even if you try to stop it."

"Then what's the point of seeing it?" He asked.

Sienna chuckled. "Torture?" She shrugged.

"You seemed really upset...are you sure you don't want to just tell me?"

She pursed her lips, wrapped her arms around his middle, and stared up at him.

"You really wanna help me? Distract me."

He smiled crookedly and grabbed her hips, slinging her under him, and trapping her with his arms. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers softly.

A knock interrupted them.

"Sienna? Is Dean in there with you?"

She was about to yell something back, but Dean covered her mouth with his palm before she could. She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Maybe he'll go away."

He leaned down and attacked her chest with kisses.

Sam sighed. "Dean, you know we need to stop and getthat part for the Impala, and fix it, before we can even leave."

Dean hung his head in the crook of her neck and groaned.

"Fiiiiiine." He whined back. Sienna laughed at him and pecked his cheek before rolling out from under him.

An hour later they were all showered and had loaded their things in the Impala. Sam went to grab the part they needed while the other two had showered, and now they were pulled off the side of the road on an old trailhead, Dean fixated on the Impala.

Sam handed Sienna, and then him, a beer.

"Figure out what's making that rattle?" Sam asked from his seat on the cooler.

"Not yet. Give me a box wrench, would you?"

Sam handed him the tool. Dean stopped what he was doing and looked at Sammy. He should be preparing him for life after he's gone...shouldn't he? He met eyes with Sienna, who'd witnessed the whole revelation he had. She smiled at him and nodded slightly.

Dean leaned off the car. "Sam."

"Wrong one?" He asked, looking in the tool bag.

"No, no, no. Come here for a second."

Sam raised an eyebrow, but got up and joined him at the hood of the car. "Yeah?"

"This rattle could be a couple of things. I'm thinkin' it's an out-of-tune car."

"Uh, okay." Sam was staring at him like he was crazy.

Dean bent over the engine. "All right, you see this thing? It's a valve cover. Inside are all the parts that are on the head. Hand me the socket wrench."

Sam did as he was told.

"All right, you with me so far?"

"Yeah, valve cover covers the heads." Sam replied, pointing to the valve cover.

"Very good." Dean nodded. "This is your intake manifold, and on top of it?"

"The, uh..carburetor."

Dean smiled and nodded again. "Very good."

"What's with the autoshop?" Sam asked with a confused grimace.

Dean spun the socket wrench and handed it over to him.

"You don't mean you want-" Sam started, half in shock.

"Yeah, I do. You fix it." Dean finished.

Sam looked floored. "Dean, you barely let me _drive_ this thing."

"Well, it's time. You should know how to fix it. You're gonna need to know these things for the future."

Sam met his brother's gaze and nodded before taking the socket wrench from him.

"And besides, that's my job, right? Show my little brother the ropes."

Sam sighed and got to work taking off the valve cover.

Dean nodded and walked over to Sienna, who was leaning against the driver side door. He tucked her into his side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She beamed up at him.

"You're a big softy, you know that, right?"

He smirked. "Shhhhhhhhhh."

He kissed her hard, trying to forget how little time he'd have with her. When he pulled back, Sam was raising both eyebrows at him. Dean forgot he hadn't been so forward with her in front of him. Sam grinned at him and shook his head.

"You get back to work, kid." Dean sassed, while turning his back on him and kissing his little redhead again.


	10. On the Road Again

**Sienna POV**

Sienna was disoriented.

When she fell asleep, she'd been in a room with Sam and Dean, curled into Dean's side, like they'd been doing for the past two months. They'd been on tons of hunts. The anti-Santa, Ruby's little coven, and the dreamcatcher guy- that one hit a little close to home for the group.

She'd been dreaming of the sweet little Christmas she and Sam had come up with for Dean. She remembered cornering Sam as Dean took off to 'get some things.'

 _"Look, Grinch, I don't like this holiday anymore than you-"_

 _"Oh, crap. This is what...5 years since your mom?" He looked sympathetic._

 _Sienna stared down at her lap._

 _"Yeah, um, anyway- this isn't about me. Look, this is Dean's last Christmas and if he wants to be all holly jolly, then we should let him."_

 _Sam let out a heavy sigh and nodded. "Okay, let's get holly jolly."_

 _They went out and bought a crappy little tree, decorations, eggnog, and plenty of booze. When Dean got back, the room was playing soft Christmas carols from the radio and the lights twinkled._

 _Sam and Sienna both yelled out "Merry Christmas!"_

 _Dean narrowed his eyes at them. "What made you change your mind?"_

 _Sam opened his mouth, cut his gaze to Sienna, then handed him a cup of eggnog._

 _"Try the eggnog. Let me know if it needs some more kick."_

 _Dean coughed on the very alcoholic eggnog, and they all sat around the table. Dean ran his hand up Sienna's back and squeezed her shoulder._

 _"Okay, first things first." Dean pulled out two crudely wrapped things. "Merry Christmas, Sam."_

 _Sam chuckled and took the gifts. "Where'd you get these?" He asked._

 _Sienna thought it was a good question. Who's open midnight on Christmas?_

 _"A special place." Dean tried. Sam lifted a brow in disbelief._

 _"The gas mart down the street."_

 _She and Sam both busted up laughing- they'd just been there buying his presents._

 _"You know, great minds think alike." Sam snickered._

 _"Really?" Dean smiled as Sam handed him the present._

 _Sam laughed at his nudie mags and shaving cream. Dean's smile beamed when Sam told him he liked them._

 _Dean looked at his badly wrapped present and tore in, unveiling the candy bar and car oil Sam picked up._

 _"Fuel for me and fuel for my baby!" He laughed. "These are awesome, thanks."_

 _Then Dean turned to her. He covered her eyes with one hand and placed something in her right hand with the other._

 _She snorted through her nose. "What's with the whole show? I mean, gas mart presents are nice, but..." She trailed off as his hand came off her eyes._

 _She looked down at her hand and turned her palm over. She blinked. She could make out a little silver chain, and some kind of pendant wrapped up in it. She pulled it out and stretched it to it's full length. It was a basic silver chain with a gold plated lightning bolt._

 _She gawked at it. "Where did you get this?" She whispered._

 _Then she met his eyes. "I've been to that Gas Mart."_

 _Dean laughed. "Full honesty? I bought it off the cashier."_

 _Sienna laughed and leaned over to peck him on the cheek._

 _"Thank you!"_

 _He clasped it behind her neck and lifted his eggnog._

 _"Merry Christmas, guys."_

The dream changed. Dean's face started to get blurry.

"Dean?" She called out. He didn't answer. His face was frozen, like a computer screen. She tried to reach out for him, but couldn't touch him.

"Dean? Sam?" She called louder, anxiety tinging her voice.

Her vision was turning white slowly until she couldn't see anything. It was like landing in an airplane on a cloudy day. She was surrounded by billowing white.

"It's time, child." She heard her mother's voice.

She laid there, still in bed, but finally conscious. All she could see was the back of her eyelids.

 _"Stars shining bright above you. Night breezes seem to whisper 'I love you.' Birds singing in the sycamore tree. Dream a little dream of me."_

She could hear her mother singing. She opened her eyes slowly.

She was in her room at her mother's house in Boise. Her mother's voice coming from downstairs. She sat up. She was still in Dean's shirt from the night before.

"Dean?" She called out.

No answer.

"Okay, who's fucking with me?"

She heard a deep chuckle from the other side of her door and tensed, calling on her father's power.

"Now, now, my parvus avis. I believe that'd be me."

The use of her mother's latin nickname for her had her frozen. A man with salt and pepper hair, with a beard to match, peeked his head in the room. She unfroze.

"Dad?"

 **Sam POV**

Sam woke up to the sound of Asia's 'Heat of the Moment.' He sat up and looked over. Dean was already awake and dressed, lacing up his boots. Sienna was nowhere to be seen.

Sam figured she'd stepped out to get food or something and proceeded to get ready to check out the mystery spot. Dean was acting extra goofy today, but Sam wasn't going to question it. He was waiting for Dean to find his gun while he stood in the doorway.

"Whenever you're ready, Dean."

He picked up a bra out of his overnight bag and held it up to Sam with his brows raised.

"This yours?" Dean laughed.

Sam furrowed his brow. "Uh, it's probably Sienna's. Where is she, anyway?"

Dean picked up his gun and made a dazed face. He blinked rapidly, then started looking around wildly. "Sienna?" He yelled.

He looked up at Sam panicking. "I have no idea where she is."

Suddenly, Dean's phone chirped. He looked down. "Voicemail from her."

He put it to his ear and nodded, obviously relieved.

"She's already at the mystery spot. Now, who's ready for some breakfast?"

Sam narrowed his eyes at Dean, but went along with him anyway.

Once sat at the diner Dean chose, he immediately got into the hunt.

"I'm telling you Sam, this job is small fry. We should be spending our time hunting down Bella."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Okay, sure. Let's get right on that. Where is she again?"

"Shut up."

"Believe me, I want to find her as much as you do, but in the meantime, we have this."

Dean pursed his lips. "All right, so this professor..."

"Dexter Hassleback." Sam picked up. "He was passing through town last week when he vanished."

"Last known location?"

"His daughter says he was on his way to visit the Broward County mystery spot." He handed Dean a pamphlet.

"Where the laws of physics have no meaning?"

He made a skeptical face, and Sam couldn't help but agree. At that moment, the waitress walked back over with their coffees.

"Two coffees black and some hot sauce for the-"

The hot sauce fell off her tray and shattered on the floor.

"Whoops, sorry!" She smiled. "Clean up!" She yelled to the kitchen.

They were walking down the street from the diner discussing the mystery spot and it's credibility. Though Dean was obviously humoring him, he agreed to check it out after it closed.

Back at the motel, Sienna still hadn't shown up.

"Did you and Sienna get in a fight or something? Where is she?" He questioned Dean.

Dean made the dazed look again.

"Sienna?" He asked him.

"Uh, dude, are you losing your mind? Sienna Gold? You don't let her out of your friggin' sight?"

Dean looked like he had a headache. Sam sighed.

"Give me your phone."

Dean threw it to him and Sam immediately started searching for her picture. He came across one Dean had taken of her sitting cross-legged in his shirt and a pair of boxers, her smile small but radiant. He tossed the phone back to Dean.

" _Your_ Sienna?"

Dean looked down at the photo. His eyebrows rose.

"Wow, she's..S..Sienna."

Dean jumped up. "Where is she? Where has she been all day?!"

 _"Thank you."_ Sam sighed, relieved he'd gotten through to him.

Dean had his phone pressed to his ear. He half-groaned when it went to voicemail, and tried again. Nothing.

"Well, it's past closing now, should we try to find her at the mystery spot?" Sam suggested.

Dean's jaw was clenched tight. He nodded and grabbed his gun, heading straight for the Impala. At the mystery spot, they entered through a door leading to a trippy-painted hallway. Both boys held their guns up, searching for the redhead in the dim light.

The boys split and Sam pulled out the EMF reader. He wasn't getting any hits.

"Find anything?" Dean asked.

"No."

"Do you have any idea what you're looking for?"

"Uh, yeah..no." Sam was stumped.

"I don't see her anywhere." Dean's anxiety was seeping into his voice.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

The boys whirled around to find the owner of the mystery spot holding a gun on them. Dean pointed his back.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa- we can explain." Dean said holding his hands up.

"You robbing me?" He asked.

"Look, nobody's robbing you. Calm down." Sam said.

"Don't move. Don't move!" He yelled at Dean.

"I'm just putting the gun down." He assured him.

The old man gave off two shots to Dean's chest. Sam's heart began to race as he kneeled at his brother's side.

"Dean! Call 911." He yelled at the man.

Sam held him, applying pressure, but Dean choked anyway.

"No, no, not like this." Sam cried.

Dean stopped making noise and his eyelids fluttered closed.

...

 **Sienna POV**

Sienna sat up in her bed gawking at her father in his human form.

He wore a pressed Italian suit, a large gold watch, and extra-shiny shoes. His salt and pepper hair was gelled back in perfection and his gold eyes reminded her of herself. He walked in and sat at the edge of her bed with a fond smile on his face.

"Where are the boys?" She asked.

"They're being kept preoccupied by a friend. I had to speak with you alone, Sienna."

She raised an eyebrow.

"And mom's records?"

Zeus smiled a little shyly. "It was nice to hear her voice again."

Sienna was taken back at that. Zeus placed a giant hand on her leg, recapturing her attention.

"I brought you here today because, though I prefer not to interfer with my children's fates, there is much you need to learn."

"About the prophecy?"

"And yourself. I'm here to steer you in the right direction, though I can not tell you outright."

Sienna furrowed her brow and Zeus chuckled.

"If I tell you, I tempt fate. Then the prophecy comes about in a way we never thought possible. It must be this way."

She sighed and nodded. Zeus stood and Sienna heard her mother's records stop. He dropped to one knee in front of her and took her hand.

"The very balance of good and evil is shifting. Once your..friend gets taken, things will go awry. You have many, many trials ahead, my little bird."

He shook his head. "I don't wish this for you Sienna, though I know your strength and honor."

"Mother didn't either." She whispered.

Zeus smiled. "Your mother tried for many years to keep you from your fate. I don't blame her. But no one, not even I, can control fate."

"So, you're telling me I'm going to have to fulfill the prophecy after Dean goes to Hell?"

"The prophecy will happen, when, I can not say- and it is your choice to fulfill it. You have time for that, but only if you realize your power. You must know your strength or the prophecy is meaningless."

Sienna's brow furrowed again.

"You already told me when I was thirteen that I was the most powerful demi-god to walk the Earth."

"Yes, but _why_? I have many other children, some born to creatures of myth, and still, not one can possess lightning like you. Also, I think it beneficial if you start to practice with the wind."

"The what?" She asked incredulously.

He chuckled. "I am God of the Skies. That means much more than just thunder and lightning." He gently touched the gold-plated lightning bolt that hung in the hollow of her throat.

Without looking up, he spoke. "Where were you born?"

She opened her mouth to answer and flopped it closed again. Where _was_ she born? She had no idea. Huh. How had that never come up?

When she looked up, he was meeting her gaze steadily. He stood and kissed her on the top of her head before moving to the door.

"Look through your mother's things with a fresh set of eyes. Once you've found the truth, I will deliver you safely back to the Winchesters."

He turned, but hesitated one more time.

"I'm...sorry. For what your friend will endure. I know you've seen it. Stay strong, parvus avis, I love you and I'm always protecting you."

With that, he stepped through the threshold and was gone in a grumble of thunder. Her mom's voice sang from downstairs again. Sienna put her head in her hands before sliding out from under the covers.

...

 **Sam POV**

Sam had already lived this day. He was sure of it. Dean's cluelessness, Sienna's absense, the hot sauce! It had all already happened.

"Sam, I'm sorry, but I don't know what the hell you're talking about." Dean was saying as they walked down the sidewalk from the diner.

"Okay, look, yesterday was Tuesday, right? But _today_ is Tuesday, too!" Sam was freaking out.

"Yeah, no. Good. You're totally balanced." Dean replied.

"So you don't believe me?"

Dean laughed and bumped into the blonde girl again, like yesterday.

"Look, I'm just saying that it's crazy, you know? Even-for-us crazy. Dingo-ate-my-baby crazy. Hey, maybe it was another one of your psychic premonitions."

"No. No way. Way too vivid. Okay, look. We were at the mystery spot, and then..."

"And then what?"

"Then I woke up."

They passed the arguing movers again.

"Wait! The mystery spot. You think maybe it.."

"Maybe what?"

"We've got to check it out. Just go with me on this. Isn't that where 'Sienna' said she was?"

"All right. All right, we'll go tonight after close, get ourselves a nice, long look."

"Wait, what?!" Sam flipped around. "No."

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"Uh, let's just go now. Right now. Business hours. Nice and crowded. Plus, Sienna's been _missing_ all day."

Dean stared at him warily. "My God, you're a freak."

"Dean!"

"Okay! Whatever. We'll go now."

Dean walked ahead of Sam into the deserted road. Out of nowhere, a car slammed into him, throwing his body in the air. Sam ran to his brother.

"Dean! Dean, no! Come on. No!" Sam cried at a lifeless Dean.

He woke up to 'Heat of the Moment' by Asia.

...

Sienna sat in her storage room (AKA her mother's room) pawing through old documents her mother had. None were strictly about her. Mostly demi-god children in general. A few things about Zeus. She looked through her jewerly, her weapons, and all her home movies. Nothing about where she was born.

Hmph.

She was getting frustrated. She stood up and walked out of the house. She needed to think. To concentrate. But that was hard to do surrounded by her dead mother's things.

She looked up and saw the gleam of metal from one of her courses.

That will help burn some of her finicky energy. Maybe she'd be able to concentrate better. She shrugged her shoulders and started jogging towards it. Standing at the beginning of it, she rolled back her shoulders and cracked her knuckles.

She took three big steps back and darted up the side of the wooden wall, bouncing to the ground after leaping from the edge. She pushed herself up the side of the metal jungle gym-reminiscent obstacle and started swinging from pole to pole until the poles were so far from each other it seemed impossible.

She wrapped her legs around the one she was on and pulled herself upright. She stared at the ground, probably about fifty feet below her. Her father's words were bouncing around her head.

'I am God of the Skies. That means much more than thunder and lightning.'

Without thinking about the danger of what she was doing, she stood and balanced on the slippery metal. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

 _I am Sienna Gold, daughter of Zeus- King of the Gods. The most powerful Godling alive._

She opened her eyes knowing they were blazing like twenty-four karats.

I _will not_ fall.

She leaped forward, her arms poised to catch the next rung. She pulled power to her and felt the tiniest amount of pressure underneath her feet. She was about four inches short to reach the rung. She thought about going up, and like magic, her hands connected with the slick metal.

She pulled herself upright.

"Holy shit." She whispered to herself.

She held out a hand and imagined a huge gust of air blowing across the mountain behind her house. Her hair whipped around her violently and she could hear the sharp whistle of the wind. Sienna laughed with pure joy.

The feeling of using this power was very different. She didn't feel drained. She felt giddy-like she wanted to giggle while controlling such an elemental force. She looked up at the sky.

"Thank you father."

She flipped herself around and hung from the metal, about forty-five feet from the ground. She let go and stayed in the same place. She laughed and imagined herself in an elevator, slowly drifting down, until her feet touched the ground.

She walked back to her mother's room in much better spirits.

She plopped down where she'd been sitting before, in the center of all the things she'd pulled out. She reached forward into the cedar chest at the foot of the bed. She pulled out all the old jazz records and skimmed through them lazily.

She got to a Frank Sinatra Greatest Hits album when she heard something rattling around in there. She paused and shook it. There was definitely something in there. She pulled out the record and put it on the bed, dumping the rest of the contents on the floor in front of her.

All that fell was a sealed manila envelope. Her heart raced. She broke it open and peered in. It looked like a bundle of letters, tied around with a necklace that bore a startling resemblance to the one Dean gave her.

She pulled them out and slipped the necklace off the paper. She looked through them- they were dated. She looked through until she found the first and began reading. Her eyes popped wide. These were _love_ letters. Between her mother and Zeus.

Oh Gods, some of this was embarrasing.

She skimmed the letters, looking for signs that her mother was pregnant with her. About halfway through, she found it. Her mother told Zeus she was pregnant. The next letter, Zeus's, was ecstatic. Sienna blushed.

She kept reading. Finally, Zeus had bad news. He tells her mother she must escape- leave America. Hera found out about the pregnancy and was going crazy. He knows where she can go to have the baby unharmed.

Sienna felt flushed. Zeus wanted her to go to Crete. To the mountain Dikte. Where his own mother, Rhea, hid him from his father Cronos. She blinked rapidly and kept riffling through the last of the letters. She had, in fact, been born there.

In the last letter, her mother was telling Zeus to stay away from her and Sienna. Not out of anger, but love- love for Sienna. In order to keep her existense under wraps, her mother sacrificed her love for the King of the Gods. Sienna's eyes filled with tears.

Something fell from the back of the page she was reading, and fluttered to the floor. Sienna picked it up and her mouth popped open.

It was a picture of a smiling baby, eyes gold, being held by a women who must have been a goddess. She was breath-takingly beautiful. Her entire being was made up of the Earth. Dirt, leaves, flowers, roots, everything imaginable was folded into this woman.

A white flash had her closing her eyes, and when she opened them, she didn't recognize where she was. She was still clutching the picture.

She was outside some half-torn down building. 'Broward County Mystery Spot' the sign proclaimed. She looked around and saw the Impala. She shrugged and walked inside.

She could hear Sam yelling at someone. Finally, she found the door he was behind. He didn't hear her approach. The other man saw her before Sam did.

"And the princess is in the building!" He quipped.

Sienna raised her brows.

Sam whirled around. "Sienna!" He yelled. "Where the hell have you been?!"

She walked up to them and he threw an arm around her.

"Where's Dean?" She asked.

Sam stuttered and then narrowed his eyes. "Seriously, you've been missing forever, where have you been?"

She looked taken back. "Sam, it's been like six hours."

"It's been six _months_."

Sienna was speechless at that. There's no possible way. She turned to the other guy.

"What'd he tell you to do?"

"I'm just keepin' 'em busy." He smiled.

"So, this was your decision?" She asked.

He held up his hands. "Like I was saying before you stormed in- Sam, there's a lesson that I've been trying to drill into that freakish cro-magnon skull of yours."

Sam sounded almost broken. "Lesson? What lesson?"

"This obsession to save Dean! You too, Red! The way you all keep sacrificing yourself for each other. Nothing good comes out of it. Just blood and pain. Dean's your weakness. Both of you. The bad guys know it, too. He's going to be the death of you, Sam. Maybe not Sienna, but definitely you, Sam."

Sienna furrowed her brow. The hell was going on?

"Sometimes you just got to let people go."

Sam looked like he might cry. "He's my brother."

"Yep. And like it or not, this is what life's going to be like without him."

"Please. Just..." Sam's lip trembled.

Sienna had grasped at least the gist of what was going on- and she was furious. How dare this little asshole torture Sam like this! It was technically her fault he was here at all, so she felt responsible. Then him pushing Sam to tears? No.

She grabbed Sam's hand and faced the mystery man.

"Who do you think you are?" Sienna asked, her eyes stinging while her power grew.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Now, hold on sister-"

"No. You listen to me. You think you can come up here and start handing out life lessons? Like any of us want or need that from you? You're acting cruel. Now, you fix this, or I will _show you_ cruel."

She curled her free hand and the wind whipped up around him.

He jumped and held his hands up.

"Okay, look this all stopped being fun months ago. You're Travis Bickel in a skirt, pal."

He started inching away from Sienna.

"I'm over it."

"Meaning what?" Sam asked.

"Meaning that's for me to know, and you to find out."

He snapped his fingers.

...

Sienna woke up in a motel room. She sat up and looked over at Sam.

"You guys going to sleep all day?" Dean asked.

Sienna grinned at Sam.

Sam rushed out of bed and hugged Dean to him.

"Dude, how many Tuesdays did you have?"

"Enough." Sam sighed.

He let go and turned to Sienna, hugging her so tight she couldn't breathe. Dean furrowed his brow at them.

"What do you remember?" Sam asked Dean.

"I remember you were pretty wacked out yesterday. I remember catching up with the trickster. That's about it." His gaze focused on Sienna and he blinked, like he was snapping out of hypnotisim.

He moved Sam out of the way and grabbed for her. His arms going around the small of her back and lifting her off her feet against his chest.

"Where the hell have you been?!" He asked.

She sighed. "This is all kind of my fault. Zeus needed to see me, but he couldn't do that around you, so he sent the trickster to...distract you."

Sam made an angry face.

"I'm sorry." She cooed to him.

"You fixed it, so I can't be too mad." He smiled at her.

"Why did Zeus need to talk to you?" Dean asked, keeping his hand on the small of her back.

"It was about..well, me."

Dean raised an eyebrow. She smiled.

"Lookie what I can do!"

She went to stand by Sam. She closed her eyes and used her elevator imagination trick. She knew it'd worked when she heard their gasps. She opened her eyes.

"Hmm."

She looked at Sam, who's face she was level with.

"The world looks different from up here."

Sam laughed at her cute joke. Dean just stared at her.

"How...how is that.." He stuttered.

She smiled at him and let herself touch the ground.

"Zeus hinted about it. Apparently, this is what all his kids can do. You know, God of the Skies and all that. I'm really rather embarrased I didn't think of it earlier."

Dean smiled and shook his head, using an arm to trap her against his chest. He leaned down and planted a soft, slow kiss on her lips. He backed away enough for his lips to just barely touch hers as he spoke.

"You know, you get more and more intimidating every day."

She laughed. "Backing out, Winchester?"

"Not on my life." He whispered and trapped her lips again.

...

The next couple of weeks flew by. After the incident in Colorado with Hendricksen, the hunters decided to take a break and do something easy. They'd found the Morton House the day before and were prepared to go in tonight. On the drive there, Sienna gave them the few details she found from the backseat.

"Okay, so Morton House. It supposedly becomes one of the most haunted houses in America every four years. So, tonight, is the only night we've got until the next four come around."

Dean parked outside the house and the trio got out of the car and picked up the two rock salt-loaded shotguns from the truck. Sienna turned, holding her gun, and Dean motioned for her to go ahead of him, in between he and Sam.

"Dean." Sam pointed to a car parked on the opposite side of the house. "Someone's already here."

The three started walking up to the house. Dean leaned down to stage whisper in her ear.

"A little woman holding a big gun. That's pretty hot, you know."

She stifled a laugh and elbowed him.

They entered the house and immediately spotted the trespassers.

"Alright, police! Let me see some identification." The boys were shouting.

Sienna stayed quiet.

One of the kids was freaking out. "Are we under arrest?!"

Dean took his ID. "Want to explain that weirdo outfit Mr. Corbett?"

The other one spoke up. "Oh, I know you."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, sure you do. Give me some identification. Come on."

"Hold on a second. I know both of you."

Sam swore and realized where they'd met before. The man, Ed, turned towards Sienna.

"Now, I don't know you." He smiled slyly.

"Fuck me." Dean said as it dawned on him.

"What's going on?" Corbett asked.

"They're not cops buddy. No, no." His eyes didn't leave Sienna.

"Ed, you had a partner didn't you? A different guy? Is he around here somewhere?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, yeah. He's running around chasing ghosts."

"Okay, well listen, you and Rambo need to get your girlfriends and get out of here."

Ed chuckled and stepped up to stand right in front of Sienna, but looking at Dean.

"All right, listen here chisel-chest, okay? We were here first. We've already set up base camp. We beat you."

"They were here first." Dean looked at Sam.

Ed took another step towards Sienna and she backed a step away.

"You can stay, though." He said in a husky voice with a wink.

Dean narrowed his eyes and chuckled at him before grabbing him by the lapels of his jacket and slamming him against the closest wall. Sienna tried to cover her laugh.

"Ed?"

"Yeah?" He managed to get out.

"Where's your partner?"'

"What are you doing at the Morton House, Ed? Huh? On Leap year? What are you thinkin'?" Dean asked as they walked through the house.

"We're here to spend the night, okay? It's for our TV show."

"Great." Sam said at the same time Sienna grumbled. "Perfect."

"Yeah, nobody's ever spent the night before." Corbett tried to sound like a badass.

Sienna raised a brow. "Actually, yes they have."

"We've never heard of them." Ed protested.

She laughed.

"Yeah, you know why? Because the ones that have, haven't lived to talk about it!" Dean answered for her.

Ed laughed nervously. "Oh, come on, I don't believe you."

He smiled at Sienna. "I might believe you."

Dean clenched his jaw and practically growled.

"Look- missing persons reports going back almost a half century. John Graham. Stayed on a dare- gone. Julie Wilkerson- gone. There are tons more. All of them came to just stay the night through. Always on a leap year. The only body they ever found was the last owner, Freeman Daggett." Sam was showing Ed.

Dean strode over to Sienna. "That guy's going to drive me crazy."

She grinned and stood on her tiptoes to give him a little peck, and he caught her chin with two fingers and kissed her harder- kisses that made her insides feel warm. He pulled back and she let out a shuddery breath. He grinned and pecked her lips one more time before releasing her.

"These look legit." Ed was saying.

"They are legit." Sam sounded annoyed. "Look, Ed, we ain't got much time here, buddy. Starting at midnight, your friends are going to die."

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! GUYS! GUYS!" There were hysterical shouts coming from the stairs as the last members of Ed's group joined us.

Sienna and Dean whirled around and pointed their guns at the group- looking for any spirits.

One of the boys was in the other boys' faces.

"We saw one! A full apparition! It was like a class four! It was a spectral illumination!"

Sienna rolled her eyes at Dean.

The one who'd been yelling stopped and took a look at the boys.

"Hey, aren't those the assholes from Texas?"

"Yes." Ed answered. "Except her." He winked again and Sienna held back the urge to gag.

Dean spoke up. "All right, let's have this reunion across the street guys. Come on, come on."

"Crap. What are you guys doing here?"

Dean kept on it. "We'll get you ice cream, our treat, what'd you say, let's go."

Everyone started talking over each other- making it impossible to hear anyone individually. The only other woman there was quiet as well. Figures. She was staring at the computer screen.

"No! No! Look at this!" She yelled, shutting everyone up.

We all gathered around the computer to see a spirit in period clothing, he reacted as if getting shot and disappeared. Sienna and the boys walked to their own corner to discuss the hunt.

Sam started. "You think we were off on this? That was just a death echo."

"Yeah, but what's it doing here? Did anybody get shot here?" Dean asked.

"Not that I could find." Sienna answered.

"What's a death echo?" One of the other boys asked.

Sam sighed. "Look, we've got a problem here and that ghost ain't it."

The cameraman repeated his question.

Dean groaned. "Echoes are trapped in a loop, okay? They keep replaying how they died over and over and over again. Usually in the place they were ganked. It's about as dangerous as a scary movie."

He rolled his eyes again and placed a hand on Sienna's back.

"Maybe the echo's not dangerous, but maybe something else is." Sam said.

"You're right. We need to get out of here guys." Dean said, steering Sienna toward the door.

Everyone started to protest and shout about equipment, and staying all night. As they all coalesced at the door, Ed stopped and turned around, calling everyone's attention.

"Wait, wait, wait! Where's Corbett?"

There was an eerie silence.

Dean tried to shove the others out the door, but Ed was making it difficult. Then they heard the scream. They all stared making a storm for the stairs.

"No, no, no!" Sienna was yelling at them.

"Let us get him! Guys!" Sam yelled after them.

"Shit." Sienna and Sam said at the same time.

They helped the kids search for Corbett. They could hear his screams- but he wasn't found.

"Dean, it's 11:59." She yelled.

"Okay, guys go! Go, go, go! Get out of here now!"

Sam and Dean herded the kids toward the stairs again, but by the time they were all downstairs it was too late.

Sienna groaned and Sam was livid.

"Well, it's 12:04, Dean. You good? You happy?"

"Yeah, I'm real happy." He replied sarcastically.

"Let's go hunt the Morton House, you said. It's our Grand Canyon."

"Sam, I don't want to hear this."

"You got two months left, Dean. Instead, we're going to die _tonight_."

Sienna lightly smacked the back of both of their heads. They both turned accusatory expressions on her.

" _Shut up_. We've got five civilians, one of which is already gone. Get your heads in the game, y'all."

They mumbled apologies before Sam tried to break open the door with an old chair. All the others ran over.

"Whoa, what's going on?!" One of them shouted.

"I'll tell you what's going on. Every door, every window, I'm guessing every exit of this house- they're all sealed." Sam told them.

"B-but why are they sealed?" The girl asked.

"It's a supernatural lockdown, okay?" Dean said roughly. "Whatever took Corbett doesn't want us to leave, and it's no death echo. This is a bad mother and it wants us scared."

"Or it just wants us." The girl said, obviously terrified.

All of their equipment started to short out and the EMF Harry was holding was spiking.

The three hunters formed a loose circle around the other four civilians. Sienna stood in front of the girl, Maggie. She held on tightly to Sienna's jacket.

"Everybody stay close!" She yelled.

"There's something coming." Sam agreed.

An apparition materialized in front of them, but it didn't seem to notice them.

"Is this the same echo you guys saw earlier?" Dean asked.

"No, it's a different guy."

The three hunters shared a look.

"Multiple echoes? The hell is going on here?" Dean exclaimed.

"Beats me." Sam shrugged.

"Alright, alright, alright." Dean mumbled to himself. Uh oh. He was gearing up for something.

"Dean-" He cut her off by stepping away from the group and approaching the echo.

"Hey, buddy! Hey, hey! Wake up! You're dead!"

Sienna ran a hand down her face. Why is she attracted to the one person who'd throw himself under the bus for a stranger? She pursed her lips. That's probably exactly why.

"What's he doing?" Harry asked Sam.

"It's rare, but sometimes you can shock an echo out of it's loop if you can talk to the part of the ghost that's still human. But usually, you have to have some kind of connection to the deceased."

The echo turned around, away from Dean. They all heard some weird noise no one could place.

"Do you hear that?" Harry repeated over and over.

Dean tried to get it's attention back. A light beamed on the echo, illuminating his face. A train horn sounded and the echo was picked up and thrown through the back wall before disappearing. Everyone chorused out a 'WHOA' like we'd all trained for it.

"Where the hell did it go?" One of the boys asked.

They all peered around with flashlights, but it was gone.

...

The were all on the top floor now. Sienna was a couple feet in front of Dean, next to the creepy one- Ed.

"There's no records of any of this here. No one got shot here. Obviously, no one got run over by a freaking train."

She was talking to Sam and Dean, but Ed nodded along anyway.

"Did the echoes take Corbett?"

"Yes. No. I don't know!" Dean sounded annoyed. "We don't know what's doing what here. That's what we're trying to figure out."

Sam took over.

"Okay, look, death echoes are ghosts, okay? Now ghosts, they usually haunt places where they lived or where they died."

"Except these mooks didn't live or die here." Dead added.

"So, what are they doing here?" Maggie asked.

The group had stopped moving. Sienna and Sam kept up looking for exits, or any sign of the missing Corbett. Ed kept himself only a few steps behind her. If Sienna backed up too much, she'd end up bumping him. Sienna looked up at Dean talking. He was talking to Maggie. She looked back around the room. No exits she could see.

"You know.." Ed started. She paused in her search and turned back toward him.

"If you ever find yourself wanting more brains than brawn..." He tried to hand her a torn piece of paper.

She lifted her brows and caught sight of an annoyed Dean death-glaring Ed's back. She coughed to hide her laugh and then stepped closer to him. Ed's eyes widened and Dean took another step towards them.

"Actually..." She batted her eyelashes and Ed sucked in a breath. "I don't like amateurs."

She flipped her hair and turned back to her search.

Dean chuckled and she turned to catch the show. He clamped a hand down hard on Ed's shoulder.

"Hey, there Ed."

Ed jumped and then held very still.

"You gotta stop doin' that, bud." Dean sounded like he was scolding a child.

"Afraid of a little competition?" He asked in a semi-squeaky voice.

Dean chuckled again and stomped a boot on Ed's toes. Ed gasped and grabbed for his foot, but Dean still held his shoulder.

"We get out of here alive, kid, first thing I'm doing is punching you in the face."

Sienna giggled and Dean let go of the kid's shoulder. He strode over to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, shooting one more glare at Ed. She bit her lip and placed a hand on his chest before she spoke.

"You make it so hard to be an independent woman when you get all alpha male."

He smirked and brought his face close to hers. "I'll show you alpha male." He said huskily.

He kissed her and Sam protested.

"Ew, guys- I do not need that mental picture."

Dean let her go and winked at his brother. Sam made a face and picked up a broken-framed photograph. As he the group started to piece things together about the last owner, Sienna kept looking around. Dean found a locked freezer and busted it open. He pulled out a smaller container. Curious, Sienna followed him to take a look.

"Crap, crap, taxidermy." Dean was sifting through it.

"You said Daggett was a hospital janitor?" She asked Sam, peering in at what she guessed were hospital morgue tags.

Dean picked them out. "Eww...got three toes tags here. One: death by gunshot, train accident, and suicide."

"Ewwww." Sienna and Sam mirrored each other.

"What?" The others asked.

"Well that explains why all the death echoes are here." Sam said.

The others looked at them like they had no idea what he was talking about. He sighed.

"They're here because their bodies are here. Somewhere in the house."

"Daggett brought the remains home from the morgue to play." Dean said grimly.

Sienna shuddered.

The others all chorused. "Ewwww."

"Wait a minute." Sienna said. "Where's Maggie?"

They searched for her in groups, and Dean and Sienna were the ones who found her- scaring her with their sudden appearance.

"Stay closer to the herd, huh?" Dean asked.

Once again, their equipment started to malfunction.

"Harry! I've got an 8.2 something big is coming!" Ed yelled.

"Nobody move!" Dean yelled while they waited for whatever was coming.

All flashlights and cameras blacked out for no more than a second. When light came back, they looked around to make sure everyone was still accounted for.

"Sam?" Dean asked.

Sienna's heart start to pound. Sam wasn't in the room. "Sam?" She called.

His flashlight lay, still shining, on the floor. She stayed motionless as she stared at it. "Dean."

He walked over and saw. "Sam!" He yelled.

They all took off to look for their missing people. Sienna and Dean searched frantically for Sam, calling out his name, as the others searched for Corbett.

While searching, Sienna and Dean came across Harry and Ed fighting. Dean cursed and ran over there, separating them.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He yelled. "Cut it out! We're down by two people!"

He shook his head and returned to her side to keep searching.

Sienna and Dean ended up back in Daggett's den when they couldn't find Sam. Sienna paced the room.

"Okay, Dean. Daggett was a cold war nut, right? What else do we know."

"Uh, amateur taxidermist. He liked to slow dance with cadavers, and all he ate were c-rations so...what the hell are we looking for?" He asked her.

"Horrible life." Maggie said.

"A cold war life." Sienna said, meeting eyes with Dean.

"He was scared. _He was scared_." He grabbed Sienna's hand and they took off towards the basement, the others following behind asking a ton of questions. Dean was nice enough to answer them.

"Guys like Daggett back then, who were really scared of the Russkies- They built bomb shelters. I'm guessing he's got one."

"And it's in the basement." Sienna finished, opening the basement door.

She and Dean surged through the door and halfway down the stairs, the door slammed. "Whoa!" They yelled on the other side. "Who did that?"

Dean leaped back up the stairs. "It did. It wants us separated. Ed! Listen to me! There's some salt in my duffel, make a circle and get inside!"

"Inside? Inside the duffel?" He asked.

"In the salt, you idiot!" Dean yelled.

Dean joined Sienna at the end of the stairs. He kept a hand on her jacket. They searched the room looking for anything that looked like a false door, a hidey-hole or anything.

"Wait, wait." Sienna stopped Dean in his tracks and held a finger to her lips. There was music playing somewhere.

"It's behind this wall." Dean moved in that direction, looking for anything big enough to break it down. Sienna took a hard look at the wall. There was a huge white metal shelf against it. She wiped away the cobwebs and tried to look behind it.

"Dean! The door!" She called. He rushed over and helped her move it out of the way. They pried the door open and Dean called for his brother. One step into the bunker and Dean shot the specter with the Colt.

The room was beyond creepy. It was covered in dust and spider webs and a table was set for a child's party. The hats, cake, the whole nine yards. Sam and Corbett sat across from each other and the other three bodies, of the echoes, were almost completely decomposed in their chairs and party hats.

Dean rushed to untie Sam and Sienna felt for a pulse on Corbett, but she knew she would find none. Sam explained Daggett's problem with loneliness while Dean tried beating the door down. Sienna watched his and Sam's backs, shotgun in hand.

Sienna jumped at the sudden apparition and darted down the stairs. "Sienna!" Dean yelled.

She didn't hesitate- as soon as he showed himself again she shot him with the rock salt. They waited another couple minutes, and Daggett didn't reappear.

Sienna was reloading her shotgun when she was thrown across the room. She slid into metal shelving and would definitely have bruises later. She rolled over and groaned. Daggett had done the same thing to the boys, so the room was clear when she saw him. Corbett materialized and tackled the apparition. They both imploded with a bright light that had Sienna shielding her eyes.

When she opened them, Daggett was gone and the door was open.

Dean had gotten up first, so he came and held a hand out for Sienna. She took it and slowly rose to her feet. Dean lightly touched the top of her head, which was throbbing.

"You okay?" He asked.

She nodded. "I'll be fine."

Dean wrapped an arm around her, and his other around Sam, and they walked out with the rest of 'The Ghostfacers.'

Dean turned around and gave Ed a once-over.

"You're lucky you're not getting punched."

Sienna laughed and pulled Dean to the Impala.


	11. Is That You, Dad?

Heeeey y'all! THANK YOU for all the reviews! Seriously, you make me SO happy! Anyway, Dean's getting close! (Sad) I can't wait for you to see what happens to Sam/Sienna while he's gone! ALSO, I'm so sorry if chapters start coming less frequently, but the semester starts tomorrow so pleeeease be patient with me. I'll will try to keep going 1 chpt a week, but we'll see! Please review!

 **Sienna POV**

Sienna and Dean sat on a bench outside of the university Sam demand they visit. There was a professor here who may supposedly know something about Dean's deal, but she doubted it. The day was much too close to start getting her hopes up now.

Sienna sat leaning her back against Dean while he ate a hotdog from the nearby stand and discussed a case with Bobby on the phone. Sienna waved Sam over when she saw him searching for them. He walked over with obvious disappointment.

Dean hung up and tossed a hotdog to Sam, tugging Sienna up with him.

"So?" He asked Sam.

"So, the professor doesn't know crap."

"Shocking. Pack your panties, Sammy, we're hitting the road." Dean started walking towards the parking lot.

"What? What's up?" He asked.

"That was Bobby. Some banker guy blew his head off in Ohio, and he thinks there's a spirit involved." Dean answered smoothly.

"So you two were talking a case?" He asked, almost surprised.

Dean lifted a brow. "No, we were actually talking about our feelings and then our favorite boy bands." He joked. "Yeah, we were talking a case."

Sienna slid in between the two. "So, a spirit? What?"

He smiled at her. "Yeah, well banker was complaining about some electrical problems at his pad for, like, a week. Phones going haywire, computers flipping on and off. Huh?"

He sounded like he was selling something.

She smiled. "Okay, okay, Detective Dean."

He looked at Sam. "This not ringing your bell?"

"Well, sure, yeah, but Dean we're _on_ a case."

He looked dumbstruck. "Who's?"

Sienna rolled her eyes and she and Sam answered at the same time.

"Yours."

"Right, yeah." Dean looked at the ground. "Could've fooled me."

Sienna groaned. This was pretty much the only fight the boys had gotten into for the last month, but it was by far the worst one.

"What the hell else have we been doing other than trying to break your deal?" Sam asked to Dean's back.

"Chasing our tails, that's what. Sam, we've talked to every professor, witch, soothsayer, and two-bit carny act you and Sienna could find in the lower forty-eight. Nobody knows squat. And we can't find Bella- we can't find the Colt. So, until we _actually_ find something, I'd like to do my job."

"Well, there's one thing we haven't tried yet." Sam looked half-defeated.

"No, Sam. No." Dean shook his head.

"Dean, we should summon Ruby."

"I'm not gonna have this fight with you." Dean was dismissive.

Sienna felt so conflicted about this fight. She wanted to try _anything_ that would save Dean. She didn't want to think about what his absense would do to her life. But she didn't trust Ruby as far as she could throw her.

"She says she knows how to save you!" Sam yelled.

"Well, she can't."

"Oh really, you know that for sure?"

"I do."

"How?" Sam was getting upset.

"Because she told me, okay?"

Sienna's head snapped around to focus on Dean. "Wait, what?"

He lowered his voice. "She told me...flat-out that she couldn't save me. Nobody can."

Sienna and Sam were staring incredulously at him.

"And you just somehow neglected to mention this to us?" Sam asked.

"Well, I don't really care what that bitch thinks, and neither should you."

Dean turned to walk to the car again, but Sam was adamant.

"So what- now you're keeping secrets from me, Dean?"

"You really want to talk about who's keeping secrets from who?" Dean had turned back to him, his tone angry.

"Guuuuuys." She drug out the word. "Is this really how you want to be spending this time?"

She watched Sam swallow his pride and join Dean in walking to the Impala. She sighed and walked up to Dean, who put an arm around her shoulders.

"Sorry." He mumbled. She grabbed the hand that was hanging off her left shoulder and tilted her head into him.

Sam spent the time in the car, about five hours, either sleeping or stewing angrily- but he gave Sienna the front seat. About an hour in, she decided to take a nap. Bad idea.

She was dreaming. She knew that because she'd seen things like this before. Dean being tortured, surrounded by flame and agonizing screams. His screams joining the symphony of others. She had tried not watching before, but it was like a car wreck. It was so awful she couldn't look away.

But something about this time was different. They kept asking him a question. Over and over. Would he do it? She was straining to listen- to understand what he had to do. She watched him be released from his chains and breathed a sigh of relief. Whatever it was, it was better than being tortured for eternity, without even death as a reprieve.

She watched as he picked up the very barbaric chain-linked whip he'd been scoured with. He watched another soul be dropped into the pit he'd been hung in. He looked down at the whip with a broken expression before he lunged and thrashed it against the back of the new man.

Sienna gasped and awoke.

"Sienna? C, what's wrong?" Dean was saying. Sienna still hadn't opened her eyes. Her hands were curled into fists and all her muscles were rigid with tension.

She felt when he pulled to the side of the road and put the car in park. She slowly opened her eyes, pressing a hand to her mouth to keep the words from spilling out. Her hand was trembling. Dean turned in his seat to face her and grabbed for her other hand, straightening it out of a tense fist.

He lifted her chin with a finger, finally making her look him in the eyes. When she did, hers filled with tears. They didn't brim over, but he looked surprised to see them there. Even when she'd been poisioned, he hadn't seen her cry.

"What did you see?" He asked in a whisper- Sam was still sleeping.

She just shook her head back and forth. She couldn't possibly tell him. Dean was one of the best men she knew- if he knew what he'd have to do in Hell to survive she couldn't guess how he'd react.

Instead, she completely threw him off guard and buried her face in his chest, wrapping her arms around him in an iron grip. His arms went around her and he rested his chin on the top of her head. One hand started rubbing circles in the small of her back.

"Sienna, if you saw something happen to you, I need to-"

"It wasn't me." She mumbled into his chest.

His hands stilled.

"Sam?"

She shook her head.

His hands started moving again. "So, it's me."

She didn't say anything, only hugged him tighter.

"I..I don't want to know." He whispered into her hair.

She nodded- and was relieved. She couldn't get the words out anyway.

When she felt like she could face him, she pulled back. He didn't let her all the way out his arms. He brushed a thumb underneath her eye and pulled her in for a long kiss. Her eyelashes fluttered. He pulled her closer.

They were both panting by the time he pulled away. She smiled a little and pecked him one more time.

He put the car back in drive and got on the road. When he wasn't shifting, he kept his hand on her thigh.

The rest of the drive was uneventful- just Dean and Sienna singing to his tapes. They stopped at the motel first, just to throw their things in and change into formal clothes.

Within thirty minutes of arriving in Ohio, they were at the crime scene. The wife was showing the three hunters around.

"Why don't you just tell us everything you saw, Mrs. Waters?" Dean asked.

She gave him a withering look. "You mean besides my dead husband?"

Sam stepped in. "Well, just everything _else_..you saw, please."

She crossed her arms. "There was, uh, blood...everywhere. The phone was ripped from the wall. His favorite scotch on the desk. What else could you possibly want to know?"

Sienna narrowed her eyes. "Why was the phone ripped from the wall?"

"I don't know."

"You mind if I take a look?" Sam asked.

She motioned for him to do it.

"I already went over all this with the other detectives." She complained to Dean.

"We'll be out of your hair in no time, ma'am." He assured her.

Sam was examining the phone.

"Ma'am what time did your husband die?"

She looked tired. "Sometime after eleven."

Sam was tapping on the Caller ID. Sienna turned back toward the widow.

"What about strange phone calls? Recieve any of those lately- weird interference, static, anything like that?"

"No." She answered too quickly. Sienna raised her eyebrows.

"No." she repeated.

Dean stepped up by Sienna.

"Mrs. Waters, withholding information from the police is a capital offense."

Sam cleared his throat in an obvious manner and made a face at Dean.

"In some parts of the world, I'm sure." Dean mumbled.

Sienna hid a smile.

The widow sighed. "A couple of weeks ago, um, there was this.."

"This what?" Sienna asked in a soft voice.

"I woke up one morning. I heard Ben in his study. I thought he was talking to a woman."

"What makes you say that?" She asked in that same soft tone.

"Because he kept calling her Linda. The thing is..I picked up the other line and..nobody was there. Ben was talking to nobody."

Sam had come to stand by her and Dean by this point.

"There was nothing?" He asked.

"Just static."

"Did you ever speak to Ben about this phone call?"

"No. I should have, but, no." She was getting upset.

"Did he ever say who Linda was?" Sam was grilling her.

"What difference does it make?! There was no one on the other end!" She yelled.

They all shared a look, Sienna thanked her for her time, and they headed for the motel room.

Back in the motel room, everyone was doing their share of research.

"Linda's a babe. Or was." Dean said, and Sienna got up to see what he was looking at.

She narrowed her eyes at the picture. "I've gotta agree."

Dean smirked up at her and chuckled. Sam looked like he was waiting for more relevant information.

"She and Ben Waters were high school sweethearts." Dean started.

"So what happened?" Sienna asked him as she threw herself on one of the beds.

"Drunk driver hit 'em head on. Ben walked away."

"So, what then?" Sam asked. "Dead flame call to chat?"

"You would think, but Linda was cremated. So why is she still floating around?"

"You got me." Sienna answered. "What about that caller ID?"

"It turns out it's a phone number."

Sienna sat up.

"It's no phone number I've ever seen." Dean answered.

"Yeah, because it's about a century old from back when phones had cranks."

"So why use that number to reach out and touch someone?"

"You got me there, too." Sam sighed. "But either way we should run a trace on it."

Sienna snorted. "How the hell are we going to trace a number that's over a hundred years old?"

Sam smiled. "I know where we could go."

Ten minutes later they we being ushered down a set of stairs by a tall, bald man at the phone company.

"We don't get too many folks from H.Q. down here."

"Yes, well, the main office mentioned that there would be a lunch." Dean answered.

Sienna and Sam looked at him like he'd grown a second head. Dean shrugged at them.

"Well, I'm sure we can arrange something. The man you want to be speaking to is right this-"

The man was cut off by Sam swatting at a fly.

"I know. Sorry. Got something of a hygiene issue down here, if you ask me."

They entered a control room covered in old pizza boxes and wrappers.

"Stewie? What did I tell you about keeping this place clean?"

The hunters watched as Stewie tried desperately to exit out of obvious porn spam windows. Sienna scrunched her nose at him. Ew! At work? Ewww.

The bald man looked apologetic.

"Stewie Meyers- Mr. Campbell, Mr. Ramey, and Ms. Williams. From headquarters."

"Give these people whatever they need."

With that, the bald man took his leave. Dean thanked him and they were alone with Stewie.

"So, can I help you?" He asked.

Dean smirked. "Is that, uh, ?"

"No." He answered too quickly. "Maybe."

"Word to the wise- platinum membership. Worth every penny."

Sienna was just enough in front of Dean that she could jab a sharp elbow into his stomach. Dean coughed and hunched over. Stewie raised his eyebrows.

"Just hungry- it's fine." Dean wheezed out.

Sienna took over. "Right. Anyway- we're here to trace a phone number."

Sam handed him the slip of paper.

"Where did you get this?" He asked.

"Off Caller ID." She replied.

"No, no. That's impossible." Stewie shook his head.

"Hasn't been used in a few years. We know." Sam threw in.

"A few years? It's prehistoric. Trust me. Nobody's using this number anymore."

Sienna batted her eyes at him. "Could you run it anyways?"

He blinked, but shook his head.

"Sure. Why don't I just rearrange my whole life first?"

Dean, apparently recovered, got a little in his face.

"Listen, Stewie. You got like six kinds of employee-code violations down here, not to mention the sickening porn clogging up your hard drive. When my partner says run the number- I suggest you run the number."

Sienna hid her smile.

Stewie turned in his chair and got to work. Dean smiled pridefully at Sienna and she rolled her eyes, but smiled back at him anyway.

"Holy crap."

"What?" Sam asked.

"I can't tell you where the number comes from, but I can tell you where it's been going."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"Ten different houses in the past two weeks all got calls from the same number."

They stared down at the list Stewie printed off for them as he slowly settled back into his chair.

"So, are we done here? 'Cause I was sort of busy."

Dean smirked and Sienna scrunched her nose up again.

Once they were alone, Dean turned to Sienna. "I'm going to have a bruise, you know."

She smiled sweetly. "Don't be gross, then."

They took their leave and decided to split up. Sam grabbed a rental car and Sienna and Dean took the Impala to go speak to the people who'd been called by the number.

...

About two hours after splitting up, Dean called Sam. Sienna and he were walking downtown- back towards the Impala. She could only hear Dean's side of the conversation.

"Dude, stiffs are calling people all over town."

"I just talked to an eighty-four year old grandmother who's having phone sex with her husband...who died in Korea. Completely rocked my understanding of the word necrophilia."

Sienna shuddered. That had been the worst one they'd come across. It still gave her the creeps.

"Beats me, but we better find out soon. This place is turning into spook central."

They descended on the Impala, Sienna skipping to the passenger side as Dean opened his door. She slid in her seat. Dean hung up with Sam and immediately got another call. He made a face at the phone, but picked it up.

"Yeah, what? Sam?"

Sienna leaned over. Dean looked shell-shocked. He looked at her like he wasn't really seeing her.

"Dad?"

Sienna's mouth popped open in surprise. She watched Dean hang up the phone and quickly leaned back to her side so he could get in. He just sat there a minute before starting up the Impala and heading towards the motel. Sienna clasped her hand on his knee, trying to somehow show him she was there to talk to.

They finally got to the hotel and Dean sighed before stepping out and around to the room. Sam's rental was already parked.

Sam was stunned for a lot less long than Dean was.

"I mean, dad? You really think it was dad?" He asked.

Dean was pacing. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Well what did he sound like?"

Dean made a face at Sam. "Like Oprah. It was dad! He sounded like dad. What do you think?"

"What did he say?"

"My name."

"That's it?" Sam questioned.

"Yeah. The call dropped out."

Sam was skeptical.

"Why would he even call in the first place, Dean?"

"I don't know, man. Why are ghosts calling _anybody_ in this town? But I mean, other people are hearing from their loved ones. Why can't we? It's at least a possibility, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Sam said, still not convinced.

"Okay, so what...what if it really is dad? What happens if he calls back?"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"What do I say?"

Sam pursed his lips. "Hello?"

Dean was obviously looking for another answer. "Hello?" He said flatly. "That's what you come back with? Hello?"

Dean got up and headed for the door. Sienna hesitated. Maybe she should let him work through this one on his own. He grabbed his jacket and opened the door.

"Hello?" He asked flatly again before storming out.

It was hours later and they'd found nothing. Zip. Sienna hated when this happened. She stepped outside to have a smoke. She leaned against the brick wall of the motel and lit her cigarette. After just a couple drags, Dean pulled up in the Impala and got out, heading straight for her.

She raised her eyebrows as he circled her waist with an arm, his other hand propped against the wall. He ran his nose along her jawline and Sienna shivered.

His lips were at her ear. "Tell me what you saw."

She breathed out a shuttery breathe. "Dean-"

"I deserve to know, don't I?" He nicked her earlobe with his teeth.

She closed her eyes. "It won't change anything."

He kissed the spot between her neck and her earlobe and she let out another sigh.

"Do you trust me? She whispered.

"With my life." He whispered against her skin.

She pulled back and cupped his cheek with her hand.

"You already have _so_ much to worry about. I wish you'd let _me_ worry about this."

He covered her hand with his and twined his fingers through. Sienna stomped on her cigarette and they walked back in the room, hand in hand.

Sam nodded to Dean and Dean spoke up. "Find anything?"

"After three hours I have found no reason why anything supernatural would be going on here."

Dean wrapped an arm around Sienna and pulled her into his side.

"Wow, you know, you'd think a Stanford education and a high school hookup rate of zero point zero would produce better results than that."

Sam half-smiled. "Hilarious."

"Sam, you're just looking in the wrong places, pal." He reached into his jacket.

"And what are the right places, Dean?" Sam asked, not actually paying attention.

"Motel pamphlet rack."

Sam looked up and took the little pamphlet, but Dean kept up the explanation.

"Milan, Ohio- birthplace of Thomas Edison."

"So what?" Sam asked.

"Keep reading." Dean said to Sam.

Sam kept reading, them looked up at them with his brows raised. "You're kidding."

Sienna furrowed her brow and Sam handed her the pamphlet. She read about the Thomas Edison museum. She snorted.

"No way can this be real."

Dean looked at them both smugly.

...

They were following the annoying tour guide around the museum in a group of visitors.

"And here we have one of the museum's most unique and treasure possessions- Thomas Edison's spirit phone. Did you know that Mr. Edison, while being one of America's most beloved inventors, was also a devout occultist?"

Dean leaned into her. "What's with the quotey fingers?"

Sienna smiled and shrugged her shoulders. The tour guide stole her attention again.

"He spent years working on this, his final invention, which he was convinced could be used to communicate with the dead. Pretty spooky, huh?"

She checked her watch and guided everyone out of the room to the next stop. The three hunters stayed behind to check out the spirit phone. Sam pulled out the EMF reader and held in around the spirit phone.

"Anything?" Dean asked.

"Nothing." He answered putting the EMF back in his pocket.

"What do you think?" Sienna asked.

"Honestly?" Sam asked. "It kind of looks like an old pile of junk to me."

"It's not even plugged in." Dean noted.

"Maybe it doesn't work like that."

"Maybe it's like a radio tower, you know, broadcasting the dead all over town."

"Could be." Sam agreed.

"Well you know, the caller ID is like a hundred years old right? Right around the time this was built." Dean was working on a theory.

"Yeah, but why would it all of a sudden start working now?" Sienna asked, looking up at Dean.

"I don't know. But as long as the moldy are calling the freshes around here, it's the best reason we got."

Sienna scrunched her nose at Dean. "Colorful."

He smirked at her, before returning to the serious conversation. "So maybe it really is dad."

...

Sienna woke up to an empty bed. Hmph. Where was Dean? She propped herself up and looked around. Sam was in the bed that was next to her fast asleep, but no Dean. Suddenly, a cell phone started ringing and she shot out of bed, where she saw Dean answer the call at the coffee table. Sienna looked at Sam, but Dean pressed a finger to his lips, motioning for her to stay quiet.

"Dad?" He asked.

Dean walked to the bathroom and Sienna followed him and shut the door quietly behind her. Dean put the phone on speaker as Sienna hopped up onto the bathroom counter.

"Is it really you?" He asked.

"Its me."

Sienna's brows lifted. It certainly sounded like John.

"How can I be sure?"

"You can't. Dean, how could you do it?" John asked.

"Do what?"

"Sell your soul."

Dean sounded so vulnerable. "I was looking after Sammy like you told me to."

"I never wanted _this_ \- never. You're my boy. I love you. I can't watch you go to Hell, Dean."

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to stop it."

Dean sounded so upset Sienna slid off the sink and wrapped her arms around him from behind. Her face was pressed in between his shoulder blades. One of his hands wrapped around hers.

"Because if you break the deal, Sam dies, right?"

"What?" Dean asked.

"Well, I know a way out- for both of you."

"How?"

"The demon who holds your contract- he's here, now. Write this down."

John gave them instructions to an ancient exorcism.

"Dean, break this deal. Your brother needs you. Sienna needs you."

Sienna stiffened at the mention of her name.

"H-how did you-"

"I'm always watching, son. You need a woman like her, and she needs a man like you."

Dean was stunned silent. "Goodbye, Dean."

Dean slowly closed the open phone. Sienna was still wrapped around him, so she slowly tried taking her arms back. In a blindingly quick move, Dean whirled around and held her by her waist. He took one big step and had her pressed against the wall.

Her breaths were coming faster and she could feel the gold coming to the surface. His lips were inches from hers when she noticed his expression. Dean was heartbreakingly sad. She ran her hand over his cheek lightly and he pressed his forehead to hers.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered.

"Don't be." She whispered back.

"If this doesn't work..." He trailed off.

"I knew what I was getting into, Winchester."

His lips grazed hers. "Did you? I don't think I did."

She smiled. "Do you regret it?" She asked playfully.

"I think I should. I should regret hurting you when I'm gone, but right now..." He nicked her bottom lip with his teeth.

Her hands dipped under his shirt, roaming the hard muscles there. He moaned into her mouth and let his hands trail down over her butt to the back of her thighs. He picked her up and she crossed her ankles behind him, keeping herself in place.

Their kisses were hot and heavy- passionate. Both of them pulled away, just enough to breathe. Dean nuzzled her neck.

"Why did you stop getting your own room again?" Dean's husky voice asked in her ear.

She giggled. "The bathtub's free."

He kissed her again and pulled her off the wall, making his way to the bathtub.

...

When Sienna woke up, Dean was already out of bed. She had on just his shirt and a pair of boxers that were too small for him. She sat up and rubbed at her eyes. Dean looked up from the computer screen he was in front of, and walked over to her- collapsing on the bed next to her and tucking her into his side.

"How's it going?" She asked.

"Well, that's a real exorcism, for sure. Old as dirt."

"You want any help?" She asked, trying to sit up, but he held her down with him.

"Not yet." He sighed and took a deep whiff of her hair.

Finally, he let her up and they both got to work. About an hour later, Sammy walked through the door.

"What's up?" Dean asked.

"The girl Lanie- Her mom's ghost spooked her out pretty bad last night."

"That sucks." Dean wasn't attention.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked Dean.

"I think dad's right. I think the demon _is_ here. Check it out."

He handed him the weather reports he'd already been going over.

"What is this- weather reports?"

"Omens- demonic omens. Electrical storms everywhere we've been for the past two weeks."

"I-I don't remember any lightning."

Sienna hated to admit it- but Sam had a point. She and Dean both wanted this so bad that they could be seeing something that's not there.

"Well I don't remember you studying meteorology as a kid, either. But I'm telling you- That bastard's been telling me, wearing some poor dude's meat."

"And it's following you because?"

"I guess I'm big game, you know? My ass is too sweet to let out of sight." He smirked.

Sam was hesitant. His skepticism was obvious.

"Don't get _too_ excited Sammy. You might pull something." Dean sounded angry.

"Dean, look, I want to believe this, man. I really do."

"Then believe it!" Dean snapped. "I mean, if we get this sucker, it's miller time."

"Yeah, that's another thing." Sam wasn't backing down. "Dad rattles off an exorcism that can kill a demon- I mean, not just send it back to Hell, but kill it?"

"I checked it out." Dean walked past him and picked up his research.

"This is heavy duty dark ages. Fifteenth century."

"Yeah, I checked it out, too, Dean. And so did Bobby."

"Okay. And?"

"Look, it definitely is an exorcism, okay? There's just no evidence that it can kill a demon."

"No evidence it can't." Dean was adamant.

"Dean, come on."

"Hey, as far as I know, the only one of us that's actually been to Hell, is dad, okay? Think maybe he picked up a couple of tricks down there- like which exorcisms work?"

"Maybe it does, okay? Look, I hope it does, too. But we just got to be sure."

"Why aren't we sure?" Sienna felt like she was at a tennis match, her head swiveling between the two.

"Because I don't know what's going on here, Dean! I mean, some guy blows his brains out, a little girl is scared out of her wits!"

"Wow man! A couple of civvies are freaked out by some ghosts! News flash, Sam- people are _supposed_ to be freaked out by ghosts!"

Sam sighed. "Dad tell you where to find the demon?"

Dean held up his cell. "I'm waiting on the call!"

"I told Lanie I'd stop by."

Dean looked incredulous. "No, you go hang out with jailbait. Just watch out for Chris Hansen. Meanwhile, we'll be here, you know, getting ready to save my life!"

Sam didn't say anything, just turned around and started walking to the door. Sienna bit her lip- Dean was going to be pissed.

"You are unbelievable, you know that? I mean for months we've been trying to break this demon deal. Now, dad's about to give us a freakin' address, and you can't accept it? The man is dead, and you're still butting heads with the guy!"

Sienna sighed. Here we go.

Sam turned around. "That is _not_ what this is about."

"Then what is it?"

"The fact is, we got _no_ hard proof here, Dean. After everything, you're still just going on blind faith!"

"Yeah, well, maybe! You know, maybe that's all I got, okay?!"

They were both silent for a minute. Dean wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.

"Please- just please. Don't go anywhere until I get back, okay?"

Sam looked at Sienna with pleading eyes. "Please." She nodded.

Sam turned around and walked out the door- Dean watching as he went.

Dean groaned and sat heavily on Sam's bed. Sienna pursed her lips and sat next to him. His weight shifted, but he didn't look up.

"What is his problem?" He asked her quietly.

"He thinks it's a trick. Someone's trying to lure you to your death, maybe- and he'd rather it be a month from now, rather than right now."

"Do you think it's a trick?"

She hesitated a moment.

"I think it _could_ be. I think we should pursue it, but be cautious. Treat it like we think it's a trick."

He pursed his lips. "That sounds logical."

She stood up and kissed him once before marching off to the bathroom to change out of her bed clothes. It was about two minutes that she was in there. When she opened the door, Dean was gone.

"Dean?" She yelled.

She ground her teeth. "Dammit, Winchester!"

She grabbed her phone and immediately dialed him. Of course, he didn't pick up. She tried Sam next.

"Sienna?" He answered.

"Sam! Your stupid brother left while I was in the bathroom!"

"Oh, no, it's fine! I called him. He's coming here to the phone company! Meet us there!"

He hung up. She looked at the phone. Dean wouldn't have left her if Sam called. There's no way. Damn it. She walked out of the room and took stock of the cars in the parking lot. She looked for an older one- easier to hotwire. She chose an old pickup and started her way to the phone company.

When she pulled up to the phone company, she saw Sam's rental car there- but not the Impala. She had no clue where he could be or where to even start looking. She groaned. First things first.

She pulled out her sword and headed up into the building. She found the stairs they took last time and darted down them. She saw no one. She crept down the long hallway to Stewie's control room. The corridor had nowhere to hide- she felt vulnerable. It'd been a full twenty minutes since her call with Sam. She hoped they were all right.

She stopped at the little chain-covered window looking over Stewie's work station. She saw Sam and Stewie tied up facing each other. The tall bald guy who'd shown them down here the day before walking around smugly. He was taunting Stewie, and Sam was trying to talk him down. She started making her way further down the hallway when she heard Sam's 'No!' and Stewie's screams.

She didn't bother busting in. She'd be too late for Stewie anyway. She had to work with surprise if she was to save Sam. She peered around the last corner that separated them and watched in horror as he sucked the soul out of Stewie. Sam caught her gaze and his eyes widened.

Sam spoke- trying to distract him.

"My last call to Dean- It was you. You led me here."

"Some calls I make, some calls I take. But you have to admit, I had you fooled for awhile. You're not the only one, either. Your brother. His girlfriend. She should be here any time now."

He licked his lips. "The immortality in her blood." He moaned.

"A half-blood is a delicacy."

Sam chuckled without humor.

"Yeah, well, Sienna's smarter than both of us, so good luck with that."

"All that Edison phone crap...Oh, well."

The bald guy went to the switchboard and pressed his hands against it, almost moaning.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked.

Sienna used the distraction to slink around the equipment, standing almost directly behind the switchboard he was at. She stayed perfectly still, barely even breathing. He was staring back at Sam, completely distracted.

"I'm killing your brother. Or maybe I'm killing another guy. We'll just have to see how it goes."

Sienna had her hands pressed to the switchboard and focused her energy and power. The switch made popping noises and the bald guy thrashed and twitched, electricity cycling through his body. He fell to the floor. Sienna got up and ran to Sam, stopping to kick the guy in the stomach as hard as she could. He didn't respond.

Sam struggled against his bonds. She bent down and started untwining them as fast as she could. A blow to her stomach sent her sprawling across the floor. She hit her head on something metal and it took all of her self control not to throw up.

Sienna laid with her eyes mostly closed and tried to regain equilibrium. Sam stalled.

"You know, mimicking Dean's one thing. But my dad- that's a hell of a trick."

"Well, once I made you three as hunters, it was easy. Found Dean's number, then yours, then your father's numbers, then to e-mail, voicemails- everything. You see, people think that stuff just gets erased, but it doesn't. You'd be surprised at how much of yourself is just floating out there, waiting to be plucked."

"Dean's not going to fall for this."

He laughed.

Sam kept going. "He's not going to kill that guy."

"Then the guy kills him."

Sienna pulled herself up. He wasn't paying attention to her- idiot. Sam was still trying to get his bonds undone. Sienna smiled to herself. Even though her head was spinning still, she saw Sam was tied to a rolling chair. One good gust of wind, and she could move him anywhere.

The thing was incredibly too close to him. He bared his needle-point teeth. Sienna focused all her power- grateful using this power didn't drain her. When she was ready she curled her hand towards herself and a random wind blew Sam right in front of her. She quickly untied his hands and he shot up out of the seat, grabbing for the suprised creature.

He tackled him to the ground and Sienna, a little less disoriented, lunged for the knife. He tossed Sam against the back wall and turned on Sienna. She stood in a crouch with the knife.

"Sienna Gold. Your soul contains part of your daddy's. I'll save you for last if you'll just give me that knife."

She snorted. "No way that line's ever worked for you before."

He smiled crookedly. "That hasn't. But this will."

He threw a disc-like object at the hand holding the knife. The metal touched her skin and immediately started to burn her. Celestial bronze. She tried to fight it, but screamed in agony and dropped the knife.

He grabbed the knife and Sam lunged at him. Sam bent him over the control desk, keeping the knife away from him. He punched Sam in the nose and pushed him off. Sam staggered but quickly regained his position, pushing the creature towards the board full of nine inch metal rods sticking out horizontally.

As Sam struggled to back him far enough on to them, Sienna grabbed her sword and ran to Sam's side. When she saw that he was aligned properly, she took the blunt end of her sword and cracked it against his forehead, impaling him on a metal rod.

She and Sam both breathed a sigh of relief, and he let go of him, the knife slipping to the ground.

...

When she and Sam made it back to the motel, Dean was already in the bathroom, holding a washcloth to his bleeding eyebrow. Sam peered in and Sienna ducked under his arm to take over. Dean wasn't the best at cleaning his own wounds.

Dean pointed to Sam. "I see they improved your face."

Sam chuckled. "Right back at you."

Dean looked down at Sienna. "How come you never get hit in the face?"

She smiled her crooked smile. "Could you improve this face?"

He chuckled. "You got a point."

She reached up and grabbed his ear, like a mom disciplining a child.

"Ow, ow!" He sucked in through his teeth.

"What makes you think you can _leave me behind_ , Winchester?!"

"I knew this was coming." He groaned.

She let go and he looked down at her, amused.

"I'm sorry. But I knew you would have waited for Sam."

"Exactly! And you wouldn't have beaten up a civilian." She raised an eyebrow.

He grimaced. "You're right. I promise not to leave you behind next time."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Scout's honor!" He swore.

"Fine." She said, going back to cleaning his eye, which is when he noticed the blood on the back of her head, and the third degree burn on the sensitive skin near her inner elbow.

He felt around on the back of her head, but it was no longer bleeding.

"I just need a shower, Winchester, and I'll be fine."

"And the burn?"

She looked down at it. "That stings a bit."

After she was done with him, he bandaged her arm and attempt to clean the head wound, but her hair made that difficult, so when the blood was mostly gone, he gave up. He sat down next to her on the bed, pulling her against his side, where she gladly snuggled in.

Sam faced them on the other bed.

"So, crocotta, huh?" Dean asked. "That would explain the flies."

"Yeah, it would." Sam answered. "Hey, um...look, I'm sorry it wasn't dad."

Dean was staring at Sienna's lap. "I gave you a hell of a time on this one."

Sam tried to disagree, but Dean wouldn't let him.

"No, you were right."

"Forget about it." Sam kept pushing it off, but Dean was being serious.

"I can't. I wanted to believe so badly that there was a way out of this. I mean, I'm staring down the barrel at this thing...you know, Hell- for real, forever and I'm just...I'm scared Sam."

He held Sienna tighter to his body and she nuzzled her face against his chest. He ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm really scared."

"I know." Sam answered.

Dean tried to keep a straight face, though it was obviously hard for him. Sienna twined her fingers through his.

"I guess, I was willing to believe anything- you know, last act of a desperate man."

Sam looked like he may cry. "There's nothing wrong with having hope, you know."

"Hope doesn't get you jack squat. I can't expect dad to show up with some last minute miracle. I can't expect anyone to, you know? And the only person who can get me out of this thing is me."

"And us." Sam whispered.

Dean finally met his eyes. "'And us?'"

"What?" Sam sounded surprised.

"Deep revelation, having a real moment here- that's what you come back with? 'And us'?"

Sam pursed his lips. "Do you want a poem?"

Sienna laughed into Dean's chest.

"Moment's gone. Unbelievable." Dean groaned.

Sam joined Sienna's laughing.

Dena reached into the cooler and grabbed them all a beer. He popped off the top of Sienna's and she held hers out for a toast.

"To life, huh? It'll kill you."


	12. Where'd you get them peepers?

We're almost to Hell guys! Thank you for bearing with me! The semester started, and it's been crazy! I can't wait until the next 2 chapters! Pleeease read and review! Love you guys!

Sienna POV

Sienna was dreaming peacefully for the first time in months- at least that's how it started. When the three hunters had finished interrogating the demon, she and Sam had come back to the abandoned house they were using, and she'd curled up in one of the couches.

The constant stream of death and despair that usually plagued her sleep had kept her from sleeping restfully. But right now, she was only dreaming of the time she'd spent with the brothers.

Harmless memories. That was until it froze- just like when her dad had needed to speak with her. This time she recognized it.

"Dad?" She asked to the increasingly bright light in front of her.

Instead of the large salt and pepper haired man she'd expected, she saw a tall, regal looking woman. She had long curly, brown hair held into a ponytail with gold pins. As Sienna stared, a slow, gentle smile pulled her lips up. She shifted her position and Sienna's eyes were drawn to the large, round shield in her left arm.

Her eyes widened. It was Aegis.

"A-Athena?" She asked hesitantly. She'd never met another God, only ever her father.

"You don't recognize me, sister?"

Sienna's brows shot up and it took all her control to not let her mouth gap open in surprise.

Athena smiled again. "We share the same father. That makes us kin in your world, does it not?"

"I-I guess it does, I'd just never thought of it t-that way." She stammered out.

"I'm only here for a moment, Sienna. I'm here to warn you. After your Dean parishes, you'll need to be vigilant. Extra careful."

"From what? What's going to happen?" Sienna asked, frustrated that everyone kept warning her about _something_ , but never told her what it _is_.

The goddess pursed her lips. "All I can say is that someone in Olympus is going to test your powers."

"A God?" Sienna half-exclaimed in disbelief.

Athena smiled. "Your power is more vast then you know, child."

Sienna jolted awake on the couch, sitting straight up and smacking her head into somebody. She put a hand to her head and turned around.

Dean must have pulled her to his lap during the short time she was out. She sat up and Dean's hands wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her back to him. She raised an eyebrow.

Dean looked down at her with an expression of concern before fitting her into his side, his arm around her shoulders, and planting fluttery kisses along her cheek and jaw bones. He and Sam were talking about a hunt. Sienna thought about the goddess's warning. She shook her head. No. She'd think about it later. She tuned back into the boys.

"Right, the guy that walks into the ER and kneels over dead, his stomach ripped out." Dean was saying.

"His liver, actually. Anyways, I just found out something pretty damn interesting." Sam replied.

"The dead body covered in bloody fingerprints- not the victim's."

Dean gave him a look. "Okay, great. My man Dave Caruso will be stoked to hear it."

Sam smiled ruefully. "Those fingerprints match a guy who died in 1981."

Now he had their attention. Sienna sat up and tilted her head a little. Dean's brows lifted.

"Really? So, what are we talking? Walking dead? Walking, killing dead?"

Sam shrugged. "Maybe."

"Zombies do like the _other_ other white meat." Dean swallowed a swig of beer. "Speaking of, what do you care about zombies?"

Sam's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you've been on soul-saving detail for months now and we're three weeks out, and all of a sudden, you're interested in some hot zombie action?"

A lump formed in the pit of Sienna's stomach. She knew it was getting close, but not even a whole month? They'd come up with nothing to save him. Not even a clue.

"Hey, man you're the one who's been all gung ho to hunt. I just thought I'd be doing you a favor." Sam was totally deflecting.

Dean stood. "No, no, no- I didn't say I didn't want to do it, okay? I mean, obviously, I want to hunt some zombies." Sienna snorted at his excitement. He was cute, though.

"Okay, fine, whatever."

Sam smiled as Dean left to throw their things in the Impala. They were on the road in less than twenty minutes. They'd already been on the east coast, so it only took a matter of hours to get to Pennsylvania.

They stopped at the room and threw on their 'interview' clothes before continuing straight to the morgue.

"The rest of the body was intact. The liver was the only organ missing."

"Now, where the liver was ripped out, did you happen to notice any teeth marks?" Dean asked.

The coroner narrowed his eyes at them. "Can I see your badges?"

Sienna stepped up first. "Of course." Holding it up near her face, she practically forced the guy to stare at her. He blinked and the other two held theirs up very briefly. Sienna stepped back into place next to Dean.

"Fine. So, you're cops _and_ morons."

"Excuse me? No, no, we're very smart." Dean tried. Sienna elbowed him and threw him a look.

"The liver was not ripped out. It was removed- surgically- by someone who knew their way around a scalpel."

None of them expected that.

"Didn't you read my report?"

"Of course, we did." Sienna assured him.

"It was riveting. It was a real page-turner, just delightful." Dean tried, and Sienna fought a smile.

"You done?" The coroner asked him.

"I think so." Dean answered awkwardly.

"Please go away."

As Dean ushered them toward the door, he leaned down to her. "That was just rude."

Sienna covered her laugh until they were out of sight.

"So, that kind of punches a hole in our zombie theory, huh? That scalpel thing?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, zombies with skills. 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Zombie.'"

"Maybe we're on the wrong track, Dean. Looking for hacked-up corpses." Sam argued.

"What should we be looking for?" He asked.

"Survivors. This isn't zombie lunch; this is organ theft." Sam sounded confident and Sienna had to agree.

"Isn't there someone in the hospital, like right now?" Sienna asked. They both looked at her and headed straight for the Impala.

...

"I told the cops all of this yesterday. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

They all stood clustered in the one survivor's hospital room.

"It's just a couple of questions, sir." Sam tried reasoning with him.

"Hey, man. I just got my kidney stolen. I'm tired."

"We'll be out of here quick. Don't you want to get the guy?" Dean asked.

"Will it give me back my kidney?" He asked sarcastically.

"Sir, what's the last thing you remember?" Sam picked it up, so Dean didn't say anything he'd regret later.

"Feeding my meter. Jumped from behind and then I wake up strapped to a table. And then the worst pain you could possibly imagine, only worse. And then I black out again- Thank God. And then I wake up screaming in some no-tell motel in a bathtub full of ice."

"Do you remember anything about the surgery- you know, what the guy looked like, any details about the room?" Sienna asked him in a gentle tone.

"Let me think about that. Yeah...one thing is coming back to me. You know what I remember? Getting my kidney cut out of my body!"

They all shared a look and backed out of the room. On the ride back to the motel, Dean stopped at a fast food chain and ordered food for the three. Sienna sat on the bed and started in on her burger and fries.

The bed shifted as Dean sat on the edge and looked up at her. She smiled at him and raised an eyebrow.

"You've been quiet lately."

Sienna looked down at her lap before flicking her gaze to Sam to see if he were listening. He seemed fully emerged in whatever he was researching on his laptop.

"I've just been in my head. Thinking."

"About?"

She bit her lip and decided to be honest.

"You. And what it'll be like if we can't...stop it."

Dean swallowed hard, but he met her gaze steadily.

"Will you stay with Sam?" He held his breath. She rolled her eyes.

"Of course, I'll stay with Sam."

Dean let out the puff of air and grabbed for her waist, pulling her back against his chest and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Any new dreams? Anything you can tell me?"

Sienna nodded. "Yeah, actually."

He lifted his chin and pulled hers, so she was looking at him. "What is it?"

"Athena kind of took control of my dream earlier. She told me I'd have trouble after you died. My father told me the same thing."

"Do you know what it is?" He whispered.

"Athena said someone on Olympus. So, a God."

"Wh-what does a God want with you?" He stammered.

She shrugged hopelessly. "They probably have a problem with Zeus, but can't take it out on him. I'm the next best thing."

Dean clenched his jaw. Sienna reached up and massaged where the muscles stood out until they finally relaxed. He looked down at her, a hard expression on his face.

"I just- It frustrates me that I can't help you. Protect you."

She smiled ruefully. "Yeah, well, I can't seem to do that for you either."

His expression softened, and he leaned down and caught her in a soft kiss, which Sam interrupted with a throat clearing noise.

"So, I got a theory."

"Yeah?" Dean asked. He'd pulled back but hadn't loosened his grip around her waist.

"Yeah, I talked to Mr. Giggle's doctor. Turns out his incisions were sewn up with silk."

Sienna's brow furrowed. "That's weird."

"Yeah, nowadays, it is. But silk used to be the suture of choice back in the early nineteenth century. It was problematic- patients would get massive infections, the death rate was insane."

Dean leaned forward so they could both get a better look at Sam's laptop.

"Good times."

"Right, so doctors, they had to do whatever they could to keep infections from spreading. One way was maggots."

Sienna stopped in midair, about to take a bite of her hamburger. She put it back down.

"Dude, I'm eating." She complained.

"It actually kind of worked because maggots they eat bad tissue and leave the good tissue. And get this- when they found our guy his body cavity was stuffed full of maggots."

Sienna gagged. "SAM."

Dean picked up the conversation, hoping to steer it away from the bugs.

"Alright, let me get this straight. So, people are getting ganked, right? A little 'Antiques Roadshow' surgery, some organ theft. But why does this all sound familiar?"

Sam smiled at Dean's intuition.

"Because you heard it before. When you were a kid- from dad."

Sam pulled out John's journal and started flipping until he found what he was looking for, then handed the journal to Dean.

"Doc Benton- real-life doctor, lived in New Hampshire. Brilliant, and obsessed with alchemy, especially how to live forever. So, in 1816 Doc abandons his practice and-"

Dean nodded, reading the journal. "Right and nobody hears from him for like twenty years, and all of a sudden people start showing up dead."

"Dead or missing an organ or a hand or some other part."

"Whatever he was doing was actually working." Sienna nodded, too.

"Parts would wear out, he'd replace them. But I thought dad hunted him down and took his heart out?" Dean asked Sam.

"Yeah, I guess the doc must have plugged in a new one."

Sienna shuddered, and Dean put the book down.

"Alright, where's he doing the deed?"

Sienna turned back to her food.

"According to this, Benton's picky about where he sets up his lab. He likes dense forest with access to a river or a stream or some kind of fresh water." Sam read.

"Why?" Dean asked around a mouthful of Sienna's fries.

"Because that's where he likes to dump the bile and intestines and fecal matter." Sam chuckled at Sienna's disgusted face.

"Lost your appetite yet?"

She scrunched her nose and slid the rest of her food to Dean who immediately started attacking it.

...

Sienna was just walking out of their bathroom after a long shower when Sam grabbed her attention and she bent over the desk to stare at a map he'd found of the local forest. He'd circled a few little buildings.

"These are all old hunting cabins. They've mostly been abandoned for years."

Sienna nodded. "Good spot to hide out."

"What the hell are we waiting for?" Dean asked standing up and reaching for his duffel.

Dean's cell started ringing. He'd been wary of it since the crocatta mimicked his father. He flicked it open.

"Bobby?"

Sam and Sienna sat staring at him, trying to understand the conversation when they only had half of it.

"I'm listening."

Sam and Sienna inched closer.

"Is that like a Cleveland steamer?"

Sienna made a face at him and he stuck his tongue out at her. "And now?"

He met eyes with Sam. "And he thinks it's Bella?"

Both Sienna and Sam were really listening now.

"She's used that before. That's kind of a sloppy move, don't you think? Getting in contact with one of your old friends?"

"Thanks Bobby, we're on our way."

Dean snapped the phone closed and picked up his jacket.

"Come on, we're going after Bella."

Sienna slid her jacket on and started rifling around in her duffel.

"Whoa, whoa, wait-" Sam tried protesting, but Dean was on a mission.

"Come on, get your stuff. Clock's ticking."

"I-I think we should stay here and finish the case." Sam pleaded.

Dean laughed. "Are you crazy?"

Sienna scrutinized Sam. What was he getting at? Why was this guy so much more important than the only weapon that could save Dean's life?

"Dean there's no way she still has the Colt. That was months ago. She probably sold it the second she got it."

Dean shrugged. "So, I'll kill her- win-win."

"Dean-" Sam tried again.

"Sam, we're going."

"No."

Sienna sighed and sat back down. This will take a minute.

"Why the hell not?" Dean yelled.

"Dean, this- this here, now- this is what's going to save you."

Sienna looked at Sam with wide eyes. No. He can't possibly think Dean should do what this guy is doing.

"What, chasing some Frankenstein?" Dean laughed him off.

"Chasing _immortality_."

Dean's expression became more and more confused while Sienna just shook her head back and forth.

"Look," Sam reasoned. "Benton can't die. We find out how he did it, we can do it for you."

"What are you talking about?" Dean was totally thrown off guard.

"You have to die before you go to Hell, right? So, if you can never die-"

"Not like that, Sammy, no." Sienna half-whispered.

"Wait, wait, wait. Wait a second." Dean stopped them from arguing.

"Did you know that this was Doc Benton from the jump?" Dean's voice was quiet- which was almost worse than his yelling.

"No." Sam's lie didn't fool anyone. "Look, I was hoping-"

"So, the whole zombie thing, you we're just lying to me?" Dean interrupted him.

"I didn't want to say anything until I was sure, Dean. All I'm trying to do is find an answer here."

"No, all you're trying to do is chase Slicey McHacky here. And to kill him? No, you want to buy him a freakin' beer! You want to study him!"

"I was just trying to help." Sam sounded pissed.

"Well, you're not helping! You forget that if I welch on this deal, you die! Guess what, living forever? That's welching!"

"Then, whatever the magic pill is, I'll take it, too!"

"Aw, what is this? 'Sid and Nancy?'" Dean mocked. "No, it's been just like Bobby's been saying. We kill the demon that holds the contract, and this whole damn thing wipes clean. That's our best shot."

"Even if you had the Colt, Dean, who are you going to shoot? We have no idea who holds the ticket!"

Dean looked up from stuffing his duffel.

"Well, I'll shoot the hellhounds then, before they slash me up! Now, are you coming or not?"

Sam planted his feet. "I'm staying here."

Dean clenched his jaw. "No, you're not. 'Cause I'm not going to let you wander out in the woods alone to track some organ-stealing freak!"

Sienna rolled her eyes. Like Dean could actually tell Sam what to do- and he'd listen.

"You're not gonna _let_ me?" Sam chuckled.

"No, I'm not going to let you."

"How are you going to stop me?"

Dean looked a little dumb-struck. Sienna stood and put a hand on his back. He looked down at her defiantly, though he knew what she'd say, so instead she shook her head. Dean clenched his jaw again.

"I know you don't agree with him." He growled.

"No, I don't. But do you really think you'll stop him at this point?" She answered back gently.

Sam calmed down. "Look, man...we're trying to do the same thing here."

"I know." Dean stalked over to his duffel and zipped it up. "But, I'm going. So, if you want to stay...stay."

Sam didn't speak up, and Dean angrily made his way toward the door. He stopped at it and turned just slightly back to them.

"Sienna?"

She raised an eyebrow and grabbed for her duffel. He shook his head once and she followed him out the door empty-handed. Dean slung his bag in the trunk and closed it. She met him there.

"You don't want me to come?" She asked, confused by his reluctance.

He pursed his lips. "I need you to stay here. Watch out for him. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Sienna stepped closer to him and trailed her hands up his arms, until they were resting on his shoulders.

"Who's going to make sure _you_ don't do anything stupid?"

His hands wrapped around her hips. "Me?"

She chuckled dryly. "Yeah, _that's_ reassuring."

Dean smiled and, temporarily forgetting that he was angry with Sam, let his hands glide down her hips to the backs of her thighs, lifting her and twirling around so she sat on the trunk of the Impala.

"Do you trust me?" His voice was low and intense.

"With my life. Maybe not your life, though. You're quite the martyr."

Her hands clung to his neck, and his clung to her thighs. His lips grazed her collar bone, then her jaw. She let out a breathy sigh and his lips attacked hers. He kissed her hard, nicking her bottom lip with his teeth. He pulled away and leaned into her neck, nicking her earlobe with his teeth, too.

"I promise I'll come home to you." He whispered.

His promise sent a piercing wave of pain through her chest. He could promise her this time, but not the next. She wrapped her ankles behind him and pulled herself completely against his chest, her head buried in his shoulder.

His hands left her thighs to hold her securely to him. His head rested on top of hers and she could feel him inhaling deeply, breathing in her scent. When she finally pulled back, he captured her lips again, this time in a slow, soft heart-speeding kiss.

He pulled back and stared into her eyes for half a minute before he spoke.

"I need to talk to you. Alone. Not now, but _soon_."

Goosebumps raised on Sienna's arms at his proclamation.

"Okay." She whispered, too surprised to say anything else.

His lips twitched up at her deer-in-headlights look, and he planted another quick kiss on her lips before sliding her back to the ground. Before he let go, he brushed her hair from her face.

"Take care of him, C. Please."

"Take care of yourself, Winchester. Please." She echoed him.

He sighed and still didn't let her go. Sienna chuckled up at him and started extracting herself from his hold.

"I know how much you want to find the Brit, or I'd let you stay here." She said as she finally freed herself from his hold and stepped back a few feet.

Dean sighed again before reluctantly heading to the Impala. Sienna stood and watched him until not even his tail lights were visible anymore.

She walked back in the room and Sam was preparing hiking gear. He looked up, puzzled, at her entrance.

"So, you're the babysitter?" He asked with a brow raised.

Sienna sighed as she collapsed on her bed.

"He means well."

...

In the Jeep they'd rented, Sienna and Sam were in the middle of the woods. Surrounded by trees on all sides. Sienna took out the map. She pointed to the cabin furthest from all the others. The sun was already setting.

"So, we should be about half a mile from this one."

Sam pointed to the trail made in the long grass outside his car door. Sienna shrugged, and they got out, stashed all their gear on themselves, and started on the trail.

About twenty minutes later, Sam was inching in the front door of the cabin they sought. Sienna peered in and saw dusty, cobweb-covered furniture that probably hadn't been touched in fifty years. Sam immediately flashed his light on a desk and started rifling through books and papers.

Sienna circled the living room, shining her flashlight on anything she thought could be important. Her eyes widened at a four-foot spot on the floor.

"Sam." She called his attention.

He shoved something in his jacket and headed toward her. She gestured to the hinges. He pulled it back and immediately shot his flashlight down the hole, keeping his gun ready. No sounds came from downstairs, so they slowly started their way down them.

As the room opened before them, they were half-shocked by their surroundings. Bottles and jars with specimens floating in their depths. Makeshift tools littered the tables. Finally, Sam's flashlight illuminated his work table- a man currently strapped to it.

They rushed over to him, but it was too late. He had no pulse. They swallowed and kept searching around the room- when another work slab, with another body on it, jumped into attention.

"Sam!" She whispered and hurried over to the girl.

Sienna didn't immediately check for a pulse. She was stunned frozen, staring at the writhing mass of maggots on the girl's arm. Her stomach rolled.

Sam went to check for a pulse and the woman gasped awake- scaring the crap out of Sam and Sienna, who quickly tried to quiet and calm her. They didn't know when the Doc would be back.

"Shh! Shh! It's okay!" Sam reassured.

"We're here to help you but you have to be quiet, okay? We're going to help you."

Sienna maintained eye contact with the woman while Sam used a towel to wipe off the maggots. She whimpered as Sam made contact with her bloody arm.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Sam apologized.

Sienna started searching the nearby tables for a key of any sort. She hadn't found it yet, when they heard the door upstairs creak open. The woman started freaking out harder and Sam worked to quiet her. Sienna looked more frantically for the key as they listened to Doc Benton's footsteps above them.

Finally, he started down the stairs, and Sienna found the key and hastily unlocked the iron cuffs locking her to the table. Sienna could no longer hear the Doc, as Sam lifted the girl through the only window in the basement and pulled himself through.

Just as Sienna had gotten the top half of her body through, she felt a hard yank on her ankle. She tensed her body and kicked as hard as she could, but he was using a tool- a sort of medieval clamp, and she wasn't getting unstuck without the key.

Sam stopped halfway to the car, with the woman cradled in his arms, when he realized Sienna wasn't with him. He saw her fighting at the window, clawing at the ground, and yelled her name, but he couldn't stop with the bleeding woman. He looked to the car, then to her and Sienna shook her head.

Sam took another step toward her.

"Sam, GO! Get her to a hospital, or she'll bleed out!"

He let out a frustrated noise like a growl and ran to the car. Sienna took a moment to collect her Father's power. She let herself drop off the window and back in the room, prepared to rip out the Doc's heart. Instead, she turned her gold gaze on him, and he smiled- from ten feet away.

He started shuffling in a wide arc around her- and she realized she couldn't turn around. Panic started to seep into her veins, making the gold blaze stronger. She couldn't even see Doc Benton anymore, and she couldn't turn any further.

"My-my..what pretty eyes you have."

She tensed and tried to squirm as a cloth came down hard on her nose and mouth. She only had seconds to panic before unconsciousness took over.

...

 **Dean POV**

Dean stood waiting for Bella to arrive to her room. As soon as she did, he pinned her to the wall.

"Where's the colt?" He demanded.

"Dean."

"No extra words."

"It's long gone- across the world by now."

"You're lying." He didn't want to believe it.

"I'll call the buyer. Speak Farsi?"

He pulled her forward to grab the gun on her hip.

"What the hell-"

Dean flashed her the gun. "Don't flatter yourself."

He turned the lights on and started rifling through the room.

"Don't move."

"I told you I don't have it."

"Oh, yeah, I'm definitely going to take your word for it." He quipped.

He noticed her inching towards the door and shot an inch from her head. She gasped.

"Don't move."

"It's gone." She tried again. "Get on a plane if you must."

Dean stopped looking, taking deep breaths to try to calm himself down.

"Track down the buyer. Catch up to him eventually."

Dean clenched his jaw and pointed his gun directly at Bella's head.

"Are you going to kill me?"

"Oh, yeah." He smiled.

"You're not the cold-blooded type." She reasoned.

"You mean like you? That's true. See, I couldn't imagine killing my parents."

"I don't know what you're-"

"Yes, you do. You were, what, fourteen? Folks died in some shady car accident. Police suspected a slashed brake line, but it was all too crispy to tell. Cut to little Bella- Oh, I'm sorry, _Abby_ \- inheriting millions."

"How did you-"

"Doesn't matter."

Bella sighed. "They were lovely people. And I killed them, and I got rich. I can't be bothered to give a damn. Just like I don't care what happens to you."

He pushed her against the wall, seconds from ending her life, when his cell rang.

"You make me sick."

He held her to the door with one hand and fished out his phone, opening it without looking at the caller ID.

"What?" He growled.

"Dean."

Sam sounded panicked. He backed off Bella, but kept his gun pointed in her direction.

"You all right Sammy?"

"Dean, I'm fine it's...it's Sienna."

Dean's heart picked up speed.

"What do you mean?"

There was silence.

"Sam!" He yelled, frustrated with himself for not bringing her with him.

"He has her Dean. I-I'm going to get her, but it's been a few hours already-"

"Send me coordinates." Dean huffed and hung up the phone.

He gave another deadly look to Bella.

"Girlfriend in trouble? I always did like the redhead."

Dean noticed a dry piece of plant above the door and finally understood.

"You should like her. The only reason I'm not killing you now is because she needs me and burying your body would take too long."

He pulled her out of the way and strode through the door. Bella's annoying British accent almost had him turning around with his finger on the trigger.

"Give Sienna my best. That is, if she's alive."

...

Sienna's eyes fluttered open and the entire room was spinning. She groaned and clamped her eyes shut. She took a few steadying breaths before trying to open them again. This time the room stayed in place, but her vision was still blurry. Her eyes felt wide, like they were being held open.

Her ankle throbbed where he'd attached the bear-trap-like torture device that enabled him to capture her.

She finally looked clearly around the room. She was still in the basement of the Doc's cabin, though she couldn't hear him. She tried to sit up. And tried again. Her breath started coming faster as she tugged against her restrains.

"Sam!"

She listened but no one called back to her.

"You can relax." A voice came from behind her- where she couldn't see. She knew it was Doc Benton. Who else would it be? "It's all going to be okay."

"Let me go." She growled.

"Ain't nothing gonna happen here that you got to worry about, Sienna. Your chances of coming out of this procedure alive- very, very high."

"How do you know my name?"

"Oh, I know. You think I'm some kind of monster, don't you? Well, I got to tell you, I have _never_ done one thing that I did not have to do. This whole eternal life thing is very high-maintenance. If something goes bad, like my eyes here- you got to replace them."

Benton lightly caressed the top of her forehead and she thrashed as much as she could.

"And sometimes, things get damaged. Like when your friend's father cut out my heart. Now that- that was very inconvenient. So, I'm sure you can understand all the joy I felt when I read all about myself."

He showed her John's journal and Sienna paled. "Where did you get that?"

"I took a trip to visit your friend and get back the book he stole from me. He wasn't there, neither was my book, so I figured a journal for a journal, eh?"

She tried desperately to feel for a weak link in the restraints, but she couldn't find one. She was hopelessly doomed.

"Kind of makes this whole thing just feel like some kind of family reunion, don't it?"

He leaned over her. "Well, I guess it's about time that we get this thing started."

As the adrenaline of close death pumped through her body she could feel the sting of the gold blooming and he smiled.

"You have such supremely interesting eyes."

He brought an ice-cream-scoop type tool towards her face, almost completely into her eye cavity. She couldn't help the girlish scream that pierced through the dungeon-like basement. Three shots rang out and Doc Benton pulled away, turning to face the intruder.

Please let it be Dean. Please let it be Dean. She kept repeating it to herself while she pushed and pulled trying to break or even loosen any of her restraints.

"Shoot all you want." The Doc taunted him. Whoever was here took him at his word, and shot the rest of the clip into him, but it didn't even slow him down. She could hear the sounds of fighting, but still- she couldn't get free.

She heard the Doctor laugh. "A knife? What part of immortality do you not understand? Pity about the heart though. It was a brand new one."

"Good." She heard Dean's voice and she almost cried out for him. "It should be pumping nice and strong... sending this stuff throughout your whole body. See, I picked up your little bottle upstairs and dipped the knife in it."

It sounded like something heavy falling and then she couldn't wait any longer.

"Dean! Dean, get me _out_ of this!"

He was at her side in seconds with the same key she used earlier that day for the female victim. He unlocked her cuffs methodically, starting at her right foot and working his way up. Once he turned the last lock, she scrambled out of the forehead strap, and Dean was crushing her to his chest, running his hands through her hair over and over again.

"Did I actually hear the Great Sienna scream?" He asked with a hint of relief.

"He was going to scoop out my eyes!" She yelled, her breath still coming fast.

Just then, Sam burst through the door. He looked around and put his gun back in its holster.

"How'd you beat me here?" Sam asked Dean.

"I was more motivated." He said coldly.

He pulled her lightly back, so he could take inventory, she was guessing. His eyes roamed all the way down her body until they stopped at her swollen, bloody ankle. He pulled her back up onto the table to inspect the wound.

He propped it up under a towel and began measuring her range of motion. When he tried to bend it downward, she flinched and ground her teeth together. Dean felt around in the area, trying not to hurt her, but not succeeding.

He sighed. "I think you've got a couple pulled tendons, maybe even a fracture."

She pulled herself to the edge of the table and Dean caught her before her feet hit the ground. "You shouldn't be walking on this."

"Then move me, but I'm getting off this freakin' table, right now."

Dean chuckled and slid an arm under her knees, scooping her up in a cradle.

"Oh wait." Sam said and disappeared.

Dean just held her off and away from the table and she closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Thank you." She whispered.

He held her closer. "I told you I'd come back to you, right? It doesn't count if you're dead."

She lifted her gaze to his and pulled his head to her, planting a clinging, slow kiss. She didn't pull away. Dean's breath started to get heavy and his kisses more desperate. She matched his enthusiasm with her own.

A loud banging had Dean pulling away and tucking her into his chest, like he could protect her with sheer force of will.

They looked up to find Sam, making a grossed-out face standing next to a folded-out metal chair- the source of the loud bang. Sienna laughed at Sam's pink cheeks as Dean set her easily down into the chair. He kissed her one more time, tugging on one of her curls.

"You're not supposed to kiss me like that unless we're alone, Gold." He murmured.

She smiled guiltily. "Oops."

Dean narrowed his eyes at her before helping Sam carry the doctor to the table and strap him in. It felt like poetic justice to Sienna, seeing him where she lay only minutes before.

He groaned after the last restraint was tightened to its full capacity.

"Oh, hiya, Doc." Dean said looking down at him.

Sienna tried to stand and made a small cry, which grabbed Sam's attention- the brother that was closer. He leaned toward her and Sienna grabbed hold of his huge arm to steady herself. Sam helped pull her to the table. The doctor opened his eyes and looked directly into Sienna's.

Her fist smashed his face, knocking his nose to the side- blood squirting steadily out of it.

Both boys swung to look at her wildly with raised eyebrows, a hint of a smile on Dean's face.

"What?" She defended. "He was going to _scoop out my eyes_."

Dean chuckled and turned back to the Doctor.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey."

"Please." Doc begged.

"Please what? You've been killin' poor bastards for over one hundred and fifty years. You were going to kill my girlfriend. And now you got a request? Shut up."

"No, you don't understand. I can help you. I know what you need."

"We might have to cut him up into little pieces." He warned the other two hunters. "You know, this immortality thing is a bitch."

"I can read the formula for you. The whole immortality- forever young, never die."

Sienna watched Dean as he contemplated. She didn't believe he would do it, but when people get desperate they make crazy decisions.

"Dean." Sam stopped him.

"Sam?" He asked back.

Sam gestured to where Sienna was, and they met to talk out what the doctor said.

"What?" Dean asked him.

Sam sighed. "I mean, we're talking Hell in three weeks or needing a new pancreas in like half a century."

"Yeah, well, you can't exactly get those at a Quiky-Mart." Dean answered sourly.

"It's not perfect, but it buys us more time to think of something better. We just need time, Dean. I mean, please just- just think about it."

He looked to Sienna. She didn't say anything, just sat biting her bottom lip, but it was like Dean could read the word in her eyes.

"No." He whispered to Sam, still locking eyes with her.

"Dean, don't you want to live?" Sam pleaded with him.

"What he is isn't living! Look, this is simple."

"Simple?" Sam asked disbelieving.

"To me it is, okay? Black or white- human, not human! See, what the doc is is a freakin' monster. I can't do it. I would rather go to Hell."

Sam turned indignantly toward Sienna.

"You love my brother just as much as I do- how can you let him do this?!" He yelled.

Dean froze. Only his gaze went to her. She met his awkwardly. They'd never said the words out loud, and now they seemed to echo around them. She maintained her eye contact while she spoke.

"Because it's his choice. No matter how I feel." She turned back to Sam. "And I support his decision. Sam, do you want Dean, or someone who just looks like Dean?"

Sam didn't say anything. He just stared at the Doc, defeated. Dean covered a rag with the chloroform and the Doc was out like a light. Dean looked up at Sam.

"Now, I'm going to go take care of him. You can help me or not. It's up to you."

"I'll help Sienna out." Sam sighed and turned his back on Dean.

Sienna looked up at Sam's hand. She grabbed it and he used the other to support the side with the wound.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't help you before. I should've stopped."

Sienna leaned on him. "Sammy, you did the right thing. Get the civi out. That's the job. I'm fine, and I'm not mad at you or anything."

"Okay, but you'd be without _eyes_ if Dean hadn't made it in time."

She chuckled. "Don't let him make you feel bad. Dean loves riding in on his white horse."

Sam chuckled at that too.

"You do, don't you?"

She looked up at him. They'd reached the stairs, and he'd have to help her a lot more.

"Do what?"

"Love him."

Sienna dropped her gaze to her feet and hesitated before answering.

"Yeah, I guess I do."


	13. Hellhound on my Trail

Guys, I'm SO SORRY. I've been drowning in school work and work work, and sickness and ugh. But, anyway, FINALLY here is the chapter you've allllllllllll been waiting for. Tbh, I cried just writing it so good luck lol. And fyi; this is no where near the end of the story! R&R&R&R&R :):)

Sienna POV

32 HOURS

Sienna was sure she was dreaming again. Dean, Sam, Bobby, and she were hunting demons in an upper-class neighborhood- and most things seemed normal. They all followed Ruby into the dining room of an empty house. Suddenly, Sam and Sienna were slammed against the wall- the telepathic work of the demon.

Dean looked nervous and kept looking around, like he heard something suspicious, though Sienna realized she couldn't hear a thing. She could see everyone talking, but not hear a thing. Huh.

Ruby stepped to the side as the doors broke open.

Dean fell to the ground and thrashed, blood seeping from wounds on his chest and thighs. Sienna watched in horror, trying desperately to break free. She screamed his name; the only thing her dream permitted her to hear.

She gasped and sat up rigid at the desk she'd mistakenly fallen asleep at. She was panting trying to catch her breath.

They were all dog tired, only sleeping in two or three-hour intervals- Dean hardly sleeping at all. The last few weeks after Bella told Dean who held his deal, the hunters had spent all waking hours researching Lilith trying to find anything they could on the demon.

Finally, with only two full days left Bobby found a tool that will point her out on a map, and the hunters plan to attack with twenty-four hours or less left.

Sienna put her face in her hands. This had to work.

She sat at the desk in her room surrounded by ancient books in Latin, demonology references, and printed pictures of the bodies Lilith has already inhabited.

Her eyes started to flutter close again, when a soft knock jolted her awake. She stood and peeked her head out. Dean stood there, biting his bottom lip.

"Hey." She said gently. He swallowed.

"Can I come in?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You _do_ sleep in here."

She let go of the door and went to sit on the bed. Dean followed slowly, shutting the door behind him. He was making Sienna thirty different kinds of nervous. Her heart thundered in her chest and she could feel the gold in her eyes reacting to the adrenaline.

Dean finally took a seat next to her.

"Bobby's working on finding Lilith right now, and we'll probably leave in a few hours. I wanted to make sure I got the chance to talk to you."

"All right...talk to me."

Dean bit his bottom lip again and caught her face in his hands.

"You know how much I care about you, don't you?"

Sienna's heart thudded. She pulled out of his hands and narrowed her eyes.

"Is this a _goodbye speech_?" At his guilty face, Sienna scoffed.

"How could you believe I'd let you do that?"

Dean sighed. "Because the other two wouldn't let me either. But, you're different."

She raised a brow. "How so?"

Dean scooted closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Because you and I both know I'm not surviving this."

Sienna shot to her feet and start to pace.

"Dean, this plan is the closest we've ever actually been to breaking it. With Ruby's knife, we actually have a chance! I mean, we're four of the strongest hunters I've ever seen. You could-"

" _Sienna_." He dragged her name out like he was in pain.

She turned to look at him and bit her lip to keep it from trembling. He pulled on her hand until she sank back down next to him in defeat. He pulled her into him, pressing his forehead to hers and wrapping his hands in her hair.

"You see me there. In Hell." Dean whispered.

Sienna set her jaw. She wouldn't admit it. She'd been trying not to think about it for months. She desperately wanted to be able to change his fate; but if it's in her dreams, it couldn't be changed.

"You know it's going to happen. Either way, I'm leaving in a body bag."

Sienna practically flinched from the words, the denial she'd indulged finally shattering. Her eyes filled with tears, though they didn't brim over. Dean saw this and his own lip trembled just the slightest.

"I _need you_ to let me say goodbye." His voice caught on the 'goodbye.'

Sienna's resolve broke and she slid into his arms, her head buried in his shoulder. Dean ran a hand up and down her back and crushed her to him. When she could, she pulled back.

"Okay." She sighed. "Do your speech."

Dean's cheeks turned a light pink. She smiled cheekily.

"Spit it out, Winchester." She joked.

"It's just- I've never really talked about..." He trailed off, looking away from her.

Sienna smiled to herself. She was glad she made him as nervous as he could make her. Sienna unattached herself from him and sat further on the bed against the wall. Dean raised an eyebrow and she motioned for him to join her.

"Lay your head in my lap." She ordered.

He hesitated. "Is this really-"

"Just do it." She cut him off with exasperation.

He pursed his lips but did as she said. He faced away from her and she started tracing tiny patterns on the skin of his neck, his cheeks, his shoulders and back. She ran them through his hair and he sighed, releasing some tension in his shoulders.

"Now just talk to yourself. Act like I'm not here."

He chuckled. "Like I can ignore you?"

"Try." She whispered.

After a couple minutes of silence, he closed his eyes and spoke.

"I don't know where to even start. I've never...had anyone like you my whole life. I was already dying, when we met, and it kind of felt like some cruel cosmic joke. Like God was saying 'you can have her, but only long enough to know how much you screwed yourself.'"

Sienna was frozen; she couldn't help it. Dean rolled over, so he was looking into her eyes as he kept talking.

"If there was anybody in the world that I'd settle down with in an apple-pie suburbia life, it'd be you."

He pulled himself off her lap and pushed her hair back off her shoulder, his fingers brushing the bare skin of her neck- raising goosebumps there. His lips were mere inches from hers.

"I'd give up hunting forever if I could be with you the rest of our lives."

She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his again, trying to keep herself from bursting into tears. Dean ran his hands up the sides of her neck until his fingers were nestled deep in her hair.

"And I'm _so sorry_ -" He choked on the words. "Sorry for how much it'll hurt you, sorry that I ever bothered you, sorry that I fell for you."

Sienna chuckled through her obvious pain.

"Well, I fell for you, too." She sniffled. "And I don't regret it."

He pulled back to look her in the eyes. "Not even in-"

He glanced at his watch. "Thirty-one hours and ten minutes?"

Her eyes were brimmed with tears, but she smiled at him.

"Not even then."

Dean pulled her desperately to him and kissed her with as much as passion as he ever had. Sienna pulled herself to him with a gasp, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

Sienna's hands slid to the end of his shirt and tugged on it immediately. She was wasting no time with him. He threw it off and began working on hers. Once it was off, he picked her up under her thighs and slid her underneath him, pinning her with his body.

Dean pushed her to the bed and planted lingering kisses everywhere he could reach. Her cheeks, her earlobe, her nose, her collarbone, even each individual finger. This would be the last time they made love.

Dean took it slow, spending extra time caressing her, kissing her, and whispering sweet things in between and, though it was amazing, Sienna had to fight the urge to cry the whole time.

Sienna woke up wrapped in his arms, pressed tightly against his chest. She was startled- neither of them had meant to fall asleep. She carefully checked his watch. It'd only been an hour. Thirty hours left.

Dean woke with a start. Sienna lifted herself on her elbows, so she was eye level with him.

"Hey." She said gently. "It's all right."

He let out a big breath and his arms went around her, resting on her back. He leaned forward and slid her the rest of the way to him, kissing her soft and slow.

When he pulled back, she stared down at his face, wishing she could memorize it. Dean had changed her life like no one had before. An idea sprang into her head and she popped off the bed, crossing the room in her boy-short underwear and Dean's shirt.

She opened the desk drawer and pulled out her mom's old polaroid camera. She still had film for the thing even though it was at least thirty years old. She spun around and pointed. Dean was laying on his side shirtless, head propped on his hand, watching her with a light smile on his face.

The picture popped out and she grabbed it shaking it lightly back and forth before setting it on the desk and pointing it again- this time Dean covered his face with a hand.

"Hey!" Sienna called and half-jumped onto the bed. He kept his face hidden and she tugged on his arm with a pout.

Dean groaned and put his hand down, making a grumpy expression. Sienna didn't care, as long as it was him. She snapped another, and he made a 'sexy' face. She snapped that one and laughed before he stole the camera out of her hands.

She was still laughing when he snapped one of her.

She pursed her lips and slid into him, her head fit into the space between his shoulder and chest and his arm circled her. He turned to kiss her forehead as he snapped the last picture in the roll.

Sam peeked his head in as the camera flashed. He stopped in his tracks and a slow smile spread on his face. Dean pulled the blanket to cover Sienna's legs. Sam sat on the edge of the bed.

"Hey, Dean, we're cutting it close, I know. But we're going to get this done."

Sam's words instantly sobered the mood in the room. Sienna cut her gaze at Dean. He was clenching his jaw and wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.

"I don't care what it takes, Dean. You're not going to go to Hell. I'm not going to let you. I swear. I swear everything's going to be okay."

He did meet Sam's gaze then and his eyes widened- he looked scared. He looked back at the floor, probably hoping no one noticed. She wondered what it was that had startled him so bad.

"Yeah, okay." He sounded defeated.

Bobby called up to the hunters and Sam left so Sienna and Dean could get dressed. As they did so, Sienna confronted him.

"What happened when you looked at Sam?"

She pulled off his shirt and handed it to him. He gawked at her chest until she grabbed a shirt of her own to sling over her head.

"I- I'm not sure." He answered unwillingly.

She paused and put her hands around his middle, tucking her chin into his chest.

"What happens when you look at me?"

He stopped what he was doing and stared down at her. His eyes widened, like they did with Sam's, only this time Dean smiled. He leaned down and pecked her lips softly.

She raised an eyebrow.

"With Sam, I saw..a demony-scary face overtop his. With you, I see gold. Light."

Sienna blinked and blushed the slightest.

She shoved her shoes on and grabbed her jacket. She stood and waited for Dean to lace his boots. When he did, she noticed the pictures still on the bed. She gathered them all and laid them on the dresser.

Finished getting ready, Dean walked to where she was. He looked down at the pictures with an expression of sorrow. He picked up the one he'd taken of her laughing and slid it into his wallet. He turned and kissed her one last time before they made their way downstairs.

...

They all gathered in the living room around a huge map and a giant version of a math compass.

"You got a name? That's the whole kit and caboodle. With the right name, the right ritual, ain't nothing you can't suss out." Bobby explained.

"Like the town Lilith's in?" Sam asked.

"Kid, when I get done, we'll know the street." Bobby bragged.

Dean sighed. Sienna squeezed his hand and he held tighter.

Bobby started speaking in Latin, swinging the pendulum type metal piece of the bizarre object on the table. The object stopped moving.

"New Harmony, Indiana. And we have a winner." Bobby sighed.

"Alright, let's go." Sam started towards the door.

"Whoa, whoa- hold on. Just holster it up, there, Tex." Dean complained.

"What's the problem?" Sam asked.

"What's the problem?" Dean asked. "Come on, where do I begin? I mean, first of all, we don't even know if Lilith actually holds my deal. We're going off Bella's intel? When that bitch breathes, the air comes out crooked, okay? Second, even if we could get to Lilith, we have no way to gank her. And third, isn't this the same Lilith that wants your giant head on a pike? Should I continue?"

Sienna had to agree. All of Dean's points were valid, but then again, Dean and her both new anything they did was futile.

"Ain't you just bringing down the room?" Bobby quipped.

"Well, it's a gift." Dean said back.

"I'm sorry, so then what are we supposed to do, Dean?" Sam asked a little angrily.

Dean turned to him, his hand still clasped tightly with Sienna's.

"Well, just 'cause I got to die doesn't mean you have to, okay? Either we go in smart or we don't go in at all."

"Okay, fine. That's the case, I have the answer." Sam replied smoothly.

Sienna raised her eyebrows at Sam. "You do?"

"Yeah. A surefire way to confirm it's Lilith and a way to get us a bonafide demon-killing ginsu." Sam half-yelled.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Dammit, Sam, no."

"We are so past arguing. Dean, I am summoning Ruby."

Dean let go of her hand and paced.

"The hell you are! We got enough problems as it is."

Sam followed him. " Exactly. And we got no time and no choice, either."

"Come on, man! She is the Miss Universe of lyin' skanks. She told you that she could save me, huh? Lie! She seems to know everything about Lilith but forgot to mention- oh, right- Lilith owns my soul!"

"Okay, fine, she's a liar. She's still got that knife."

"Dean?" Bobby tried to interrupt, but the boys argued over him.

"For all we know, she works for Lilith!"

"Then give me another option, Dean! I mean, tell me what else."

"Sam's right." Bobby agreed.

"No!" Dean exploded. "Damn it." Sienna grabbed for his hand again. He looked down at their twined fingers.

"Just no. We are not gonna make the same mistakes all over again. You guys want to save me, find something else."

He walked out, dragging Sienna along with him, and sat down at one of the desks. He pulled her into his lap and buried his face in her hair, taking deep breaths.

"Where you goin', Bobby?" Sam asked. Sienna looked up.

"I guess to...find something else."

As Dean and Sienna tore through all the books Bobby had, Sam mysteriously disappeared. Sienna looked around in the kitchen and even upstairs in his bedroom. She came back to find Dean.

"Dean, I can't find Sam."

Dean practically growled and got out of his seat. He grabbed her hand again and pulled her to the door.

"I bet I know where he is."

They stood outside one of the garages outside of Bobby's house where Sam was doing a ritual- they guessed it was to summon Ruby. They listened closely when Sam stopped chanting in Latin.

"You know, phones work, too. Hey, Sam. How's tricks?" Ruby quipped.

Dean curled his hands into fists and Sienna almost had to pull him away from the door. Sam kept talking to Ruby.

"It's too late, Dean, we might as well get the knife."

He glared at her. "You know it's not-"

"I _know_. But they don't. Maybe it'll at least keep them safe."

He thought about it for a minute before nodding and turning back to the conversation.

"Did you know?" Sam asked her.

"I'm gonna need a tiny bit more."

"About Dean's deal. That Lilith holds the contract."

"Yes. I did."

"And, what? You didn't think that was important?" He yelled.

"You weren't ready."

Sienna didn't like the sound of that.

"For what?"

"If I told you, you two yahoos would have just charged after her half-cocked, and Lilith would have peeled the meat from your pretty, pretty faces."

"Well, we're ready now. I want your knife."

They heard Ruby's footsteps getting closer.

"You're right about one thing. You are ready. And now's the time, too- Lilith's guard is down."

"Is that so?"

"She's on shore leave. A little R&R."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Trust me- you don't want to know. You didn't lose those hex bags I gave you?"

"We got them."

"Good, then she won't sense that you're coming."

"So, you'll give us the knife?"

"No."

Sienna tensed to go in there and steal the thing from her.

"But you just said-"

"You want to charge in with one little pigsticker? It's a waste of a true-blue window. Like hitting Hitler with that exploding briefcase- forget it."

Dean and Sienna went separate ways. One at the front door and one at the back.

"Okay, then how?!" Sam shouted.

"I know how to save your brother, Sam."

"No, you _don't_! You told Dean you couldn't! You've been lying to me all along! So, just give me your damn knife!"

"You're not the one I've been lying to." She answered calmly.

"Oh, so you can save him?"

"No." She sounded nonchalant. "But you can."

Uh oh. This doesn't sound good.

"Sam, you've got some God-given talent. Well, not God-given, but you get the gist."

"All that psychic crap?" Sam scoffed. "That's gone ever since Yellow-eyes died."

"Not gone. Dormant. And not just visions, either. Why do you think Lilith is so scared of you?"

Sam was still brushing her off. "Right, _she's_ scared of _me_."

"If you wanted, you could wipe her off the map without moving a muscle."

Sienna got chills. What was she talking about? She remembered Dean telling her about the other psychic stuff, but this?

"I don't believe you."

"It's the truth." Ruby argued.

"And you decided to tell me this just now?"

"Uh, demon? Manipulative is kind of in the job description. The fact is, is that you never would have considered it. Not until you were-"

"Desperate enough?" Sam choked out.

"You don't like being different. You hate the way Dean looks at you sometimes, like you're some sort of sideshow freak. But suck it up because we got a lot of ground to cover and we got to do it fast. But we can do it."

Sienna slipped into the garage noiselessly. She wouldn't let Sam make this horrible, horrible decision.

"Look, call me a bitch, hate me all you want- but I have never lied to you, Sam. Not ever. And I'm telling you- you can save your brother. And I can show you how."

Dean must have done the same as she did. He appeared behind Ruby, and Sienna stepped out of the shadows behind Sam.

"So, that's you, huh? Our slutty little Yoda."

"Sienna. Dean." Ruby said, turning to face Dean, looking like they'd spoiled her fun. "Charming as ever."

"Oh, I knew you'd show up...'cause I knew Sam wouldn't listen."

Sam looked at his feet, thoroughly chastised. Dean was walking towards Ruby and Sienna walked around behind her.

"But you're not gonna teach him anything. You understand me? Over my dead body."

Ruby chuckled. "Oh, well, you're right about that."

"What you are going to do is give me that knife. Then you can crawl back into whatever slop you came from and never bother me or my brother again. Are we clear?"

Sienna hovered right behind her, and the demon kept flipping her gaze between her and Dean.

"Your brother is carrying a bomb inside of him, and we'd be stupid not to use it."

Sam walked up to the tense circle. "Dean, look, just hold on-"

"Sam, don't." Sienna warned, without taking her eyes off Ruby's back.

"Come on, man! What are you, blind? Can't you see this is a trick?" Dean tried to reason with his brother.

"That's not true."

"She wants you to give in to this whole demonic psychic whatever, okay? Hell, she probably wants you to become her little anti-christ superstar."

"I want Lilith dead. That's all."

"Why?" Sienna asked. Ruby spun and faced her.

"I've told you why."

"Oh right, yeah. Because you were human once, and you liked kittens and long walks on the beach." Dean mocked her. She flipped around again and took a step closer to Dean.

"You know, I am _so sick_ of proving myself to you. You want to save yourself, this is how, you dumb, spineless dick!"

Dean smiled and punched her in the face. Ruby thrust forward and kicked Dean in the stomach.

"Woah, Ruby!" Sam yelled.

She kept at it. Sienna punched her in the nose twice and dodged a few before Sam stepped in, and Ruby turned her attention to him. Sienna lunged from behind and threw an arm around her throat tightly and the other grabbed for the knife in her inside jacket pocket.

Sienna pulled it out and held it to her back.

"One move, parasite."

Dean grinned. Sienna looked to the ceiling above her. Two feet. She pulled Ruby roughly to the area and let her go. Sienna smiled as she twirled the knife in her hands.

"I'll kill you, you bitch." She said through clenched teeth and tried to lunge at her. Sienna looked at her with fake sympathy as she realized she was trapped.

"Like I said, " Dean smiled and put an arm around Sienna. "I knew you'd come."

...

Sienna was upstairs in her room gathering Aegis and her other usual weapons. When she felt like she had everything, she headed for the stairs. Sam and Dean were in the middle of a conversation. She stopped and leaned forward to listen.

"I mean, whenever one of us is up a creek, the other is begging to sell their soul. That's all this is, man. Ruby's just jerking your chain down the road. You know what it's paved with, and you know where it's going."

Sam sighed. "Dean. What are you afraid is going to happen? This is me. I can handle it. And if it'll save you-"

"Why even risk it?" Dean sounded tired. He was past arguing with Sam.

"Because you're my brother. Because you did the same thing for me."

"Oh, I know. And look how that turned out. All I'm saying-" He choked up a little. "Sammy, all I'm saying is you're my weak spot. You and Sienna. You are. And I'm yours. Look, Sam I know this is a long shot for me. But not for you. Or for Sienna, or Bobby. If I don't make it out, I need you here for her, just like I need her here for you."

"You don't mean that. We're- we're family."

"I know. And those evil sons of bitches know it, too. I mean, what we'll do for each other, you know, how far we'll go- they're using it against us."

"So, what? We just stop looking out for each other?" Sam sounded like he wanted to cry.

"No, we stop being martyrs, man. We stop spreading it for these demons. We take this knife, and we go after Lilith our way, the way dad taught us to. And if we go down then, uh- then we go down swingin'. What do you think?"

Sienna had to strain to her Sam's whisper. "I think you totally should have been jamming 'Eye of the Tiger' right there."

Sienna stood and moved out of her hiding spot, making it look like she wasn't ease dropping but she couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"Oh, bite me." Dean smiled as he strode to meet Sienna. "I totally rehearsed that speech, too."

Sam chuckled. "So, Indiana, huh?"

Dean pulled Sienna by the waist, pressing her body to the front of his and addressing Sam over her head.

"Yeah, where Lilith is on shore leave."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Tell me something- what the hell does a demon do for fun?"

...

The hunters were packed and ready to go. Dean, Sam and Sienna hopped in the Impala and Dean attempted to start the car. The engine wouldn't turn over. He tried a couple times before Bobby walked up to his window. He held up a plastic piece she didn't recognize.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Both boys opened their doors, stepping back out of the vehicle and she followed suit. Dean stood in front of Bobby like he was about to get yelled at by his father.

"We got the knife." He told him.

"And you intend to use it without me. Do I look like a ditchable prom date to you?" Bobby accused.

"No, Bobby, of course not." Sam reasoned.

"This is about me and Sam, okay? If I could leave Sienna behind, too, I would. Believe me. This isn't your fight."

Sienna smirked. There was no way he could leave her behind. She raised her eyebrows as Bobby got in his face.

"The hell it isn't! Family don't end with blood, boy!"

All three hunters were silent at that. He was right. Bobby was like a father to all of them.

"Besides, you need me." He smirked.

"Bobby—"

"You're playing wounded. Tell me, Dean, how many hallucinations have you had so far? Sienna your leg still throbbin', ain't it?"

Sienna pursed her lips, but figured silence was the best answer. Sam was staring at Dean surprised. Dean barely made eye contact with him.

"How'd you know?" He asked.

"Because that's what happens when you have hellhounds on your butt- and because I'm smart." He quipped. Bobby handed him the plastic piece and Dean turned to the Impala to fix it.

"I'll follow." Bobby said walking to his truck.

"Don't be stopping to pee every ten minutes, either!" He yelled back again.

Dean shrugged as he turned to face Sienna and Sam, then headed to the driver's seat.

They'd been on the road for at least four hours, heading for Indiana when Sam finally spoke up.

"Hey, Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"You know if this doesn't- If this doesn't go the way we want, I want you to know that-"

Dean cut him off. "No, no, no, no."

"No what?" Sam complained.

"You're not gonna bust out the misty goodbye speech, okay? I mean, if this is my last day on Earth, I don't want it to be socially awkward."

Sienna sat back against the seat with her arms crossed and glared at the older Winchester through the mirror. He'd made her go through that. He caught her gaze in the rearview mirror and suppressed a smile.

"You know what I do want?"

He shoved a tape in the player and Bon Jovi started blaring out of the speakers.

"Bon Jovi?" Sam asked skeptically.

"Bon Jovi rocks...on occasion."

Sienna laughed as Dean practically screamed out the lyrics. Sam joined in and she couldn't stop herself from practically doubling over in laughter. She took a deep breathe and realized her eyes were filling with tears. This was the last time she'd see them like this. Just being goofy brothers. Dean met her gaze in the mirror, her thoughts reflected in his expression. She gave him a rueful smile before joining in with Sam at the end of the song.

A couple hours later they all groaned as those unholy red and blue lights flashed behind them.

"We getting pulled over?" Sam asked a little on edge.

"I got a busted tail light. It's not like we're in a hurry or nothin." Dean sighed and pulled to the side of the road. The cop walked up to the window.

"Problem officer?"

"License and registration, please."

Dean handed him the required paperwork.

"Did you realize you have a tail light out, Mr...Hagar?" The cop asked.

Sienna watched Dean look up at the cop. He looked surprised, like he recognized him almost.

"Y-yes, yes sir. Uh, you know I've been meaning to take care of that. As a matter of fact..."

Dean opened his door, cracking it solidly against the cop's hip. He lunged out and punched the cop in the face repeatedly as Sam and Sienna scrambled out of the car.

"Dean, what the hell!" Sienna yelled.

"Whoa, whoa! Hey!" Sam yelled, too.

Dean thrust Ruby's knife up through his chin and they watched as the knife did it's job, killing the demon inside of the cop. Sienna looked up as Bobby came running.

"What the hell happened?"

"Dean just killed a demon. How'd you know?" Sam responded, still stunned.

"I just knew. I could see its face- its real face, under that one."

Twenty minutes later they were all attempting to hide the, now abandoned, cop car in between trees- obscuring it with branches and other brush.

"So, what, now you're seeing demons?" Sam asked.

Dean's eyes flicked to Sienna. "I've been seeing all kinds of things lately, but nothing like this."

"Actually, it's not all that crazy." Bobby cut in.

"How is it not that crazy?!" Dean asked.

"Well, you got just over five hours to go. You're piercing the veil, Dean. Glimpsing the 'B' side."

"Little less new agey, please." Dean rebuffed.

Sienna smiled, but rolled her eyes.

"You're almost Hell's bitch. So, you can see Hell's other bitches."

"Thank you." Dean whined.

"It'll actually come pretty handy." Sienna shrugged.

"Well, I'm glad my doomed soul is good for something." Dean quipped while yanking on a heavy branch. Sienna pulled his arm away and used a good gust of wind to bend the branch the way he needed it.

"Damn right it is. Lilith's probably got demons stashed all over town. We can't let them sound the alarm. If she knows we're here, we're dead before we started." Bobby explained.

"Wow, this is a terrific plan. I'm excited to be part of it. Can we go, please?"

Dean turned to stomp away and hesitated. His hand wrapped around Sienna's elbow, and he dragged her away with him. She shook her head at Sam and Bobby, trying to convey her confusion to them.

He towed her behind him until they were back at the Impala. He turned around and grabbed her waist, his thumbs fitting perfectly in the indents made by her hip bones. He tugged her closer until they were literally smashed against each other.

"Dean-" She started, but he interrupted.

"I've got about five hours to live. Kiss me, Gold."

Her eyelashes fluttered closed as his lips brushed against hers. She stood on her tiptoes, closing the tiny distance between them. She twined into him like a sunflower reaching for the sun- her arms wrapping together behind his head. Dean moaned and lifted her feet off the ground. He peppered her lips with kisses as he let her back down.

He pulled back just enough to speak, his forehead pressed against hers.

"I couldn't imagine my life without you, Sienna."

Her hands, which were resting on his chest, balled up his shirt as she fought the emotions that had been building all day.

Sam and Bobby trudged back toward the two and Dean reluctantly let her go before they all headed toward their vehicles. Sam hesitated and dipped to the back seat.

"You can have front." He winked at her and she smiled back gratefully.

The whole rest of the drive, Dean kept a hand on Sienna. Her thigh, her knee, her hand. Whatever he could reach. Sienna stared at his face blatantly, trying to memorize every line.

They stood outside of a nice house in a surburban neighborhood. They peeked in on a family, supposedly celebrating their kid's birthday.

"It's the little girl." Dean sighed. "God, her face is awful."

"Alright then, let's go. We're wasting time." Sam was all business.

"Wait!" Dean caught him.

"For what? For her to kill the rest of them?"

Dean shook his head. "Yeah, and us too, if we're not careful. Look. See the real go-getter mailman on the clock at 9 PM? And Mr. Rogers over there."

"Demons?" Sienna asked.

"Yes."

"Okay, fine. W-we ninja past those guys, sneak in." Sam reasoned.

"And what, give a Columbian necktie to a ten year old girl? Come on."

"Look, Dean, I know it's awful."

"You think?"

"This isn't just about saving you, Dean. This is about saving everybody." Sam said.

"She's got to be stopped, son." Bobby agreed.

"Oh, damn it." Dean whispered. Sienna twined her finger through his and squeezed.

They started working out a plan. Bobby was on his own, so Sienna volunteered to help him. Dean immediately spoke up.

"Uh-wh-why?"

She raised an eyebrow. "So he's got someone to watch his back. Duh?"

Dean let out a puff of air and closed his eyes. His confession came out in a rush.

"I know I'm being selfish, but this is the most danger we've ever been in and I _need_ to make sure you're safe. I need you by my side."

He opened his eyes.

"Please."

"I can handle it by myself, kid." Bob patted Sienna's shoulder.

She looked up at Dean, who looked relieved. "You're being irrational, you know."

One corner of his mouth twitched up and he threw an arm around her shoulders. Bobby broke off from the group and everyone started to gear up for the final ditch effort to save Dean's life. Sienna pulled both of her powers to her and kept them close- easy to use. Dean looked down at her in awe.

"You're glowing." He half-laughed and kissed her with all his might.

She looked down at herself and back up at him with an eyebrow raised. "I'm not?"

He smiled. "Trust me, you are."

Dean and Sienna lured demon after demon to them. Sam would hit them with Ruby's knife while Dean ensured they stayed quiet. Dean skipped ahead of them both and they were all surprised when he was shoved to the fence by none other than Ruby.

Sam and Sienna picked up their pace and Sam grabbed her, the knife next to her throat.

"He doesn't have it. Take it easy."

She stepped back.

"How the hell did you get out?" Sienna asked.

"What you don't know about me could fill a book."

Dean took a closer look, then craned his head back. "Oh."

"What?" She asked venomously.

He looked away from her, trying hard to keep his eyes down. Despite everything, Dean was making Sienna want to laugh.

"Nothing. I just couldn't see you before, but you are one ugly broad."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Sam, give me the knife before you hurt yourself."

"You'll get it when this is over."

"It's already over. I gave you a way to save Dean. You shot me down. Now it's too late. He's dead. And I'm not gonna let you die, too."

"Try and stop me and I'll kill you, bitch."

"Hit me with your best shot, baby." She goaded him.

"Guys, guys! This is _real_ productive, and all, but-" And Sienna pointed to the houses across the street.

"Have your little cat fight later. So much for the element of surprise." Dean cringed, seeing all the demon's real faces.

"Let's go. Run, run!" Sam whispered running through the gate, Sienna behind him, and Dean bringing up the rear.

A gaggle of demons chased them, at least ten on their trail.

"What the hell's taking Bobby?" Dean worried as Sam tried desperately to pick the lock on an empty house.

The sprinklers went off and half the demons writhed in agony, while the other half stayed far enough to stay out of the water. Dean laughed. Finally, Sam got the door open and they all barreled in, slamming the door behind them.

"You think Lilith knows we're here?" Dean asked.

"Probably." Ruby answered.

The hunters, and Ruby, quietly walked through the house, looking for Lilith. Dean turned suddenly and Sienna jumped as he clamped his hand over a middle-aged man's mouth.

"Shhhhhh. Shhhhh. Shhh. We're here to help, okay?" He whispered. "I'm going to move my hand, and we're going to talk nice and quiet, okay?"

The guy nodded and Dean slowly took his hand from his mouth.

Sam spoke up from behind Ruby. "Sir, where is your daughter?"

"It's not- it's not her anymore." The man sounded broken and terrified.

"Where is she?" Sam insisted.

"Upstairs in her bedroom." He answered.

Dean tugged Sienna to him before turning back to the father of the possessed kid.

"Okay, okay, okay listen to me. I want you to go downstairs to the basement, put a line of salt at the door behind you. You understand me?"

The father shook his head rapidly. "Not without my wife."

"Yes without your wife." Sienna whispered back.

"No, not-" He tried to argue, but Dean wasn't having it. He punched the guy in the nose, and he was out cold. Dean threw the guy over his shoulder and tugged Sienna after him to the basement.

They trudged down the stairs and opened the door to the basement. Dean walked through and gently set the guy on the cement ground. Sienna pulled the salt she snagged out of the kitchen from her pocket, leaned down, and poured a fat line in front of the door.

When she stood up straight Dean was directly behind her, placing his hands on her hips. She threw her head back, trying to make eye contact with him. Dean stared at her for half a minute, then checked his watch. He swallowed and met her eyes again.

"Less than an hour to go."

Sienna looked back down at the floor and bit her lip. She wasn't prepared for this. No matter how much she knew it would happen, she also knew it would be an entirely different thing to witness it. She turned and buried her head in his chest, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing. In her head, she grasped desperately at anything she thought could save him, keep him here with her. She came up empty.

When she pulled back, there were twin streaks of tears rolling down her cheeks. Dean placed his palms on her neck, using his thumbs to wipe the tears away. She smiled sadly.

"You're the best man I've ever known."

He kissed her softly, the hands on her neck slipping into her hair. Before they could get further, they heard a bang from upstairs. Dean pulled back just enough to speak, and sighed.

"We never get enough time." He whispered.

She pecked him once more. "There's not enough in the universe."

...

Sienna and Dean raced back up the stairs and quietly searched for Sam. Dean called for her from in front of a cracked white door. He slipped inside the room just as she reached him. She peered in, and Sam was hovering over the little girl and her mother, who were laying in the girl's bed. Dean moved closer to get a better look and caught Sam's arm seconds before he plunged the knife into her chest.

"Wait! Wait! It's not her! It's not in the girl anymore." Dean was breathing hard.

As they ushered the other civilians downstairs, Dean coached them.

"Alright, now no matter what you hear, you, your husband, and your daughter stay in the basement."

Sienna walked behind Sam and Ruby.

"Well, I hate to be an I-told-you-so." Ruby muttered.

"All right Ruby, where is she?" Sam asked.

"I don't know."

"Could she get past the sprinklers?"

Sienna listened to their conversation trying to come up with her own idea- she had an itch in the back of her brain. Like she knew more than she did, but couldn't summon the information.

"Her pay grade? She ain't sweating the holy water."

Sam turned toward Ruby. "Okay, you win. What do I need to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"To save Dean. What do you need me to do?"

Dean snuck up behind them all. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Sienna's skin pricked up in goosebumps. Her intuition was screaming at her, freezing her muscles. She flicked her gaze to Ruby, then jumped between Sam and her.

"Sam, give me the knife." Sienna requested.

He sputtered, flustered between Dean's accusation and Sienna's demand.

"Just shut up for a second." He pleaded with Dean.

Sienna's jaw was tight and Ruby was staring down at her, a sneer pulling up the corner of her mouth. Sienna's eyes were locked with hers.

"SAM, _THE KNIFE_." She growled at him.

"No."

He ignored her and pleaded with Ruby to help him. Her gaze stayed trained on Sienna as she replied.

Dean tried grabbing for Sam, but Sam ripped out of his grasp. Sienna was barely aware of their fight. She was trying to soak in every ounce of power she could wield.

"No, Dean! I'm not going to let you go to Hell!"

"Yes, you are!" They took a few heavy breaths. "Yes, you are. I'm sorry, I mean, this is all my fault. I know that. But what you're doing, it's not saving me. It's only going to kill you."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Keep fighting. Take care of my wheels. Take care of my girl. Sam, remember what Dad taught you, okay?" Dean's voice was gruff- what Sienna recognized as him trying not to show his emotions. "And remember what I taught you."

"Dean." Her voice amplified and echoed around the room, magnified by the power swirling through her veins. "Stay behind me."

Somewhere, a clock chimed out midnight. Sienna couldn't afford to dissolve into tears and throw herself into him. Ruby smiled a ghoulish smile at her and Sienna held both hands out, blasting the bitch with the full reserves of her God-given gift.

A majestic blend of gold and silver shot from Sienna's entire body and concentrated itself into a six inch shaft of light that struck Ruby directly in the chest. The blast sent her flying, smacking hard into two glass-paned doors. Parts of the glass shattered and she landed on the ground, face down and not moving.

The boys stared at her flabbergasted.

"How else would Lilith get past our defenses? She walked in the front fucking door _with us_." Sienna clued them in.

Sam looked like he'd swallowed a rock.

Sienna stood, turned Lilith on her back and pushed the glass doors open.

"Sam, the knife." She asked him gently. While she was looking toward the younger Winchester, she was suddenly off her feet and thrown against the furthest wall. She hit the floor and moaned. Both boys rushed to her side, Dean leaned over her.

"C?"

"I'm fine. Kill her." She mumbled out, while slowly getting back on her feet.

They all froze as they heard the howls. "Sam, KILL HER." Sienna screamed.

Dean's eyes flit to a spot by the dining table and he inched himself in front of Sienna.

"Hellhound. Right there." He whispered.

He grabbed Sienna under the elbow and pushed her in front of him as they all ran to what looked like an office. Dean slammed the door about thirty seconds before he realized Lilith had made it too. He lined the door with graveyard dirt and Sam and Sienna held the doors. It was too late now. Once the dogs left the door, Sam had Lilith cornered, the knife poised at her throat.

Sienna pushed Dean to the corner furthest from the door. She stood in front of him, her hands up and glowing, ready to blast the pooches.

"Sienna."

She turned and Dean pulled her to his lips kissing her hard and passionately, a tear on his cheek wetting her face. She was full of Zeus's power and it lent an extra electrical current to the normal fire that coursed through them.

Dean pulled back. "I'm sorry."

Lilith's laughter interrupted them. "D'aww, look at you bein' all cute."

Sam lunged at her with the knife and she slammed him against the wall and held him there. Sienna lunged for the knife on the ground and the demon slammed her against the opposite wall. She forced Dean onto a round table- the only furniture in the room.

She laughed again and walked around looking at each hunter individually.

"How long you been in her?" Dean asked.

"Not long...But I like it. It's all grown up and pretty." She flashed her white eyes and Sienna shuddered.

"Where's Ruby?" Sam yelled.

"She was a very bad girl, so I sent her far, far away."

"You know I should've seen it before. But you all look alike to me." Dean sneered.

She walked slowly to Sienna.

"Hey! Hey, I'm the one you want, leave her alone!" Dean growled.

"Hello, Sienna. You know, you're the _real_ winner here. You knew before anyone." She smiled and it made Sienna's skin crawl. She got as close as possible and Sienna leaned into the wall as far as was possible.

"You know, I'd much rather get _you_ out of the game." Lilith raised an eyebrow."A year for you, and ten for him. Sound like a fair deal?"

Sienna hesitated. Another year gave them a whole lot of time to hunt her down. They know what they're up against now, maybe-

Her thoughts were cut off by a furious Dean.

"Sienna Delone Gold, don't you _DARE_."

She slowly met gazes with him. His jaw was clenched tight.

"I'll just make another deal, C. There's no getting around this one."

Tears ran down Sienna's cheeks and soaked into her shirt. She bit back a sob, but met Lilith's gaze steadily.

"No dice."

She pursed her lips. "Hmm, maybe you _don't_ love him like I thought."

Sienna thrashed against her invincible restraints, her teeth bared at the demon.

"I will kill you if it's the _last thing I do_!" She screamed her frustration.

Lilith strolled back towards the door, smiling. "I'm hoping for it."

Her hand rested on the knob. "Sic him, boy."

The door burst open and the sounds of barking and snarling were deaffening- Sienna couldn't even hear her own screams as she called out for the hunter who held her heart. Sienna wanted to look away, but it was like a train wreck. She was hyperventilating, her eyes stuck open.

Blood was gushing from wounds on his chest, thighs, and back. His screams quickly cut off. Lilith laughed, stuck her hand out, and all Sienna could see was whiteness.

Whe she opened her eyes, Sienna had slid to the floor. Somewhere in her mind she was aware that Sam and Ruby were fighting, but she had tunnel vision. All she saw was his face. She whimpered as she crawled to him. She knew it was futile, but she still felt for a pulse in his neck. Nothing.

Her hands shook as she hovered over him, unsure what to do. Finally, the dam in her chest broke and she let out a heart-wrenching sob. She leaned over him, her hands on either side of his face- her own face buried in his neck and sobbed as hard as she ever had. She didn't know how long she lay there before Sam ran a hand up and down her back- a comforting gesture.

She couldn't let him go.

"S-Sienna, we've got to get him out of here. Before the police come."

She let out another hard sob before pulling back. She turned and looked up at Sam's tear-shed face. He wrapped her in his arms and they cried together for the man they'd both loved the most.

...

Sienna was in shock. In some part of her mind, she knew that. She couldn't speak. It all felt too hard. It wasn't even this difficult when she'd lost her mother. She was outside Bobby's house, sitting on the porch steps numbly drinking Jack Daniels out of the bottle.

She felt, more than saw, Sam sit next to her. He leaned his head on top of hers. He reached for the liquor bottle, and she vaguely noticed the dirt on his hands and clothes. Her heart gave another painful lurch. She closed her eyes against the guilt she felt.

"I'm sorry I didn't help you." She whispered.

She hadn't spoken in a full sixteen hours and her voice was scratchy.

"I think he would've been pissed at me if I let you help. He was always the gentlemen."

Sarcasm tinged the last part of his response. Sienna snorted.

Sienna grabbed a cigarette from her pocket- the first time she really got a good look at herself. His blood still stained the clothes she was wearing making them stiff when she moved. She let out a labored breath.

"Sienna, I know it's probably too early to talk about, but..."

She kept her eyes trained on her boots.

"I've never seen my brother love anyone but me. But he loved you more."

She looked up at him then.

"Don't let the ending mess up how you see the whole relationship. He knew he was going to die, and he was _happy_. You made him happy."

Her lip quivered but she smiled at him. "Thank you, Sam."

He hugged her to him for a long second before letting her go and stepping back in the house.

Sienna lit her cigarette and took a long pull.

"My, my what a great story you two make."

Sienna froze, moving nothing but her eyes to the new voice coming from in front of her. She looked into the face of the most gorgeous woman she'd ever seen. She wore a long elegant champagne silk gown, with slick honey-golden blonde hair down to her waist. Her blue eyes sparkled and her face had that air-brushed quality that magazine models had. She was poised on an old ratty stool.

"Oh, how I crave a love story with twists and turns."

Sienna glared up at her. "Aphrodite?"

"The one and only." Her smile beamed.

"Yeah, well, this love is dead. Might want to look somewhere else for your twists and turns." Sienna couldn't help the venom in her voice.

The goddess gave her a pout full of pity and came to sit next to her on the stairs.

"Trust me, little hero, your story is far from over."

Sienna blinked while she processed her words. She snapped her head in her direction. The goddess had a finger to her lips. She held her hand in one of hers and slipped something cold and smooth in her palm.

"When you're lost, this will help find your way."

Sienna's eyebrows shot up. A gift from a God was nothing to sneeze at.

"Thank you, Goddess."

Aphrodite smiled warmly, leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"Stay strong Sienna. We're rooting for you."

She winked and disappeared in a puff of pink smoke.

Sienna opened her hand. She'd given her a heart shaped stone made out of rose-quartz that was hollow in the middle. Sienna shrugged and shoved the gift in her pocket. She spent the rest of the night staring at the stars, wondering who or what could be staring back at her.


	14. The Missing Demigod

New chapterrr:) This one was super fun to write! Hope ya'll like it! R&R! :)

Sam POV

Two months.

It'd been two months since Sam's brother died. It never got easier. Dean was the one he'd looked up to his whole life. It was like a part of him died, too.

Sienna made it easier- and harder. He loved C. She had been getting better and better as time went on, but he could still see the strain his death put on her heart. She wasn't the smiley, joking Sienna very often. But they both kept their promises. They hunted as a team, which had been working well- they were efficient.

She practiced yielding the wind and lightning- getting more and more lethal.

He glanced over at her. She was peering out the window at the desert landscape they drove by. Bobby had called to give them a hunt. Werewolves in New Mexico were terrorizing a small town. There wasn't much work involved- Bobby had narrowed down their pack headquarters to three different abandoned warehouses on the outskirts of town.

Sam would be driving up to the closest one in less than ten minutes.

"Hey, uh, C... how are you doing?"

She looked at him and raised a brow.

"Well, I mean, it hasn't been very long yet. I just wanted to..." He trailed off.

She scrunched her nose. "We don't have to get all chick-flicky."

Sam made a face and laughed.

"What?" Sienna asked.

"You, uh- you sounded just like Dean."

A slow smile crept on her face, until finally she laughed. He hadn't heard her laugh in at least two weeks.

"I can't tell if that's a compliment or an insult."

They both laughed at that. When they could breathe, she spoke up in seriousness.

"I'll tell you if I have a problem, 'kay?"

"Deal."

They pulled up to the first location and both immediately scouted it out. It was a large red barn, flanked by gray buildings most likely used for storage. Sienna was scrutinizing the barn.

"If I set up pack headquarters here, I'd use the barn as the main building- the actual headquarters, and those buildings over there-" She pointed to the gray storage sheds. "As sleeping quarters."

Sam shrugged. "Sounds reasonable. You take the gray; I'll take the red?"

She grabbed a silver-bullet loaded gun and her sword and ducked behind the sparse foilage. Sam grabbed his weapons and mimicked her, only in the direction of the barn. There were no vehicles anywhere he could see that would suggest someone were home, but he kept his guard up.

Sam scanned his surroundings as he crept toward the side entrance. The door hung limply on its hinges, squeaking when the wind blew it against the wall. He leaned from his spot on the side of the door to peer in the barn.

He huffed. Nothing. He walked through the door. The dirt floor was littered with left-behind bales of hay and discarded beer cans. He made a noise of disgust at the condom in the corner. This place was definitely not inhabited by werewolves- horny teenagers, maybe, but not wolves.

He sighed and walked to find Sienna.

As he neared the slate-gray storage, he called out for her.

"Sienna!"

No reply.

He opened the door and stuck his head in.

"Sienna, I think it's a bust. Let's go to the next one!"

The corragulated metal amplified his voice, making it echo down the corridor. She didn't pop out or call back to him. His stomach tightened in apprehension.

"Sienna?!"

He decided he'd systematically search every nook and cranny of the building. After conducting a thorough search of the one he'd watched her walk in, he frantically ran to the next one and re-conducted his search, this time hyperventilating.

"Sienna! Where are you?!" He yelled into the dead air.

She was just gone. There was nowhere to go for at least fifty miles. He couldn't think of any possible explanation. He pulled out his phone and dialed Bobby. He picked up on the second ring.

"Hey, kid, how are you and Red doin'?"

"Bobby, she's gone."  
Bobby could hear the anxiety in his voice.

"Well, walk me through. What were you doing right before she disappeared?"

"We were checking out that first site you sent me. You know, the wolves outside of Tome-Adelino, New Mexico, and-"

"Woah, back up boy. I haven't talked to you in two weeks, what're you talkin' bout?"

Sam froze.

"W-what?" He asked hesitantly.

"Sam, I didn't send you on that hunt."

He didn't know how to respond. He promised Dean he'd look after her. He _promised_.  
"Bobby, I-"

"Before you go freakin' out, do a full sweep of that area. Search the town and anywhere you planned to go. Call me after, and head this way if you don't find her. I'll make some calls. We'll find her, boy."

Sam let out the breath he was holding. At least he could focus on the tasks Bob had given him. One step at a time.

"Okay, I'll call you soon."

He hung up and marched back to the Impala. He looked through the trunk. She still had her weapons- that was good. Wait. He didn't remember her taking her shield, Aegis, but it was no longer in its spot. He looked around, but couldn't find another set of footprints.

He started up the car and started to drive to the second site of the fake pack headquarters. Through the whole drive all Sam could think was, if Sienna died, Dean would never forgive him- in Hell or not.

...

Sienna was dreaming- that much she was sure. She was plagued by, not only _her_ future, but a live-feed of Dean's eternal punishment. It was pure torture. She was conscious- she knew she was sleeping, but had yet to wake.

But wait.

She was hunting wolves with Sam in New Mexico last she remembered. She searched through her memory. Yes, she was sure the last moment she was conscious she'd been stepping through the door of the gray storage shed. This realization jolted her half-awake- that and the precipitous feeling she was falling.

She groaned and opened her eyes to blue sky dotted with fat, white clouds. She turned her head- and let out a piercing scream.

She _was_ falling.

She was at least a hundred feet above the ground, heading for a blanket of evergreen trees. She couldn't even see the actual grass. She thrashed around, trying to get her wits enough to slow her fall. She was hurtling towards the Earth, much too fast for her to come to a gentle landing.

She put her hands palm down and tried to force the wind to slow her, and it did. But not enough. She let out another little scream as she broke through the first of the trees. She tumbled, head over heels, through the branches, attempting to grab at any of them.

Finally, her right hand wrapped around a branch. She stopped abruptly, her shoulder resisting the weight of the rest of her body. She bounced up and down on the branch as it absorbed the sudden impact and caught her breath.

She grabbed the branch with her left hand and hauled herself up. When she looked down, she guessed she was about thirty feet from the ground.

Before she could completely freak out, she focused on the task at hand: get to the ground. She slowly made her way down the evergreen until finally she was on solid ground. She collapsed, her back against the tree, and took three deep breaths.

 _What the fuck was she doing here?_

She stood and shook out her limbs. Her shoulder was sore, probably a pulled muscle or two, but other than that she was fine. She turned back to where she was sitting, and the two weapons she'd had on her in New Mexico- the sawed off shotgun and her sword, and somehow, Aegis sat against the trunk.

She narrowed her eyes.

This was definitely the work of some Olympian-level meddling. She turned her face to the sky.

"Is this what you've been warning me about for a year? You could've been more specific!" She yelled.

She didn't expect an answer.

She huffed, grabbed Aegis and slung it on her back, the strap tight against her chest. She picked up the sword and the gun and started to wander aimlessly.

How would she find her way out of this forest when she had no idea where she was?

...

"Bobby, she's just _gone_. No one's seen her. I have no leads! What the hell are we going to do?"

Bobby sighed in his ear.

He was in the Impala heading towards South Dakota. He didn't know where to even start looking for Sienna.

"Well, I called her friend Raina, the child of Athena. She's mobilizing her troops, so to speak, and they're going to search all the spots they know she likes."

"Bobby, I'm telling you she didn't just leave. Something took her. There's no other explanation!"

"Alright, boy, it's only been eighteen hours. Maybe she'll turn up. Plus, it's _Sienna_ , she can take care of herself."

Sam grunted in annoyance. "Did you go to her house?"

"Yeah, kid's got more security than the president. I almost died sneakin' in there. But, no, she wasn't there. Looks like she hasn't been since before Dean..."

An idea sprang into Sam's head.

"I'm heading your way Bobby; I'll be there in about ten hours."

And he hung up. He was just pulling into a small town in Arizona, and he pulled into the first motel he saw. Once he was in a room, he pulled out the ritual items they always had stashed in the Impala.

"You better answer me, Ruby." He muttered as he drew the pentagram on the dirty linoleum floor.

...

Sienna had been walking for days. She couldn't keep track of the time in the dense, green light. The sun barely even shone down past the trees, and it was sunset- almost dark. Her feet were aching, but she kept moving. She hoped she was traveling in the direction that would lead her out, but with no prior knowledge of how deep she'd fallen in, she was doomed.

Her stomach growled loudly, reminding her that she'd forgone her last meal with Sam. She regretted that now. She hated the idea of killing an animal out here, but had no choice. She started examining the ground- looking for tracks.

With her head bent, she noticed the rhythmic movement of the leaves on a nearby bush. She looked closer, sure she was hallucinating. Finally, she felt it herself. It was as if she was transported into an action movie the likes of Jurassic Park. Her stomach clenched in apprehension.

The footsteps of something huge were almost shaking her whole body with the reverberation. She did something she'd hardly ever done when confronted with a fight- she ran. She bolted in the opposite direction. Whatever it was, she was woefully unprepared to deal with it.

The steps behind her picked up pace. It was chasing her.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!" She yelled, kicking into overdrive.

She burst through the trees and happened upon a clear meadow, at least a hundred yards of grass and little white flowers in front of her. She let out a breath and darted to the furthest edge, hiding in the shadow of a pine tree.

She couldn't believe her eyes when it finally burst through the trees.

It was a crab. A giant, larger than life, _crab_. Its pinchers were dipped in some sort of metal, probably celestial bronze. Its shell was a sickly orange and its body a light yellow. She could see its beady eyes searching the low grasses.

She tried to hold her breath, as if that would make her less noticeable. When the beast's eyes fell on her, she knew she was toast. The crab sauntered in her direction, clamping it's claws together in anticipation or hunger- she wasn't sure which.

"Well, shit." She muttered before crawling out of the hiding spot.

Sienna tried to think back to the Hercules story of the crab. All she could remember was that Hera was behind it- like she was probably behind her kidnapping.

The crab lunged with a metal claw at her, and she slung Aegis around- pushing it out in front of her. She heard the metal clank as it collided with the pincher. The crab pulled back, letting out a slithery sounding growl from its dripping, white maw.

Sienna groaned in disgust. She hated seafood- and this was just an Olympian-sized king crab. She darted forward, tucking her head as she rolled underneath the beast. She stood in a defensive stance when she reached the middle of its belly.

The thing was huge- that meant it would be slow. That was Sienna's only advantage. She heard it clamp it's claws again, probably searching for its demi-god lunch. She looked close at the shell, knocking a knuckle on it to test its density. No way was she getting through that. The crab noticed the tap and attempted to reach for her, but couldn't get past its own massive size.

Sienna almost laughed at its frustration. But this was only delaying the inevitable. She couldn't kill it from under here- she'd have to face it again.

She ran out from under it, slashing with her sword and using Aegis to keep it at a safe distance. Sienna harnessed her power- it was easy to do now. Almost like a reflex, she squeezed her eyes shut as the sting alerted her to the gold haze surrounding her body.

She removed Aegis, replacing it with her luminescent hand. The blast that came from her shot her back a foot, like the kick of a gun. The crab let out a battle cry and reached for her again. She sighed- lightning was apparently not a crab's weakness.

Unexpectedly, the crab charged her- it was slow, but she was caught off guard. One of its creepy legs swept out, throwing Sienna backwards into one of the many trees ringing the meadow. She grunted when she hit the ground, but was on her feet in an instant. She was getting angry. She gripped her sword and Aegis and charged back into the natural arena.

"Is that all you got?" She yelled at the crustacean.

Like it could understand her, it bowed its head and charged again, this time Sienna was prepared. When he came close she jumped in the air, using her power to assist her, and jabbed her sword all the way through his eye before yanking it out.

The purple blood of Greek and Roman monsters squirted back at her, dousing her in the sticky liquid. The crab stumbled backward, screaming in agony. Sienna drove forward.

Before she could reach the beast, she heard the eerie howl of wolves- lots of wolves. Her heart picked up speed. If she's attacked while fighting the crab, she stood no chance. She still stood frozen when the first wolf appeared in the clearing.

Sienna ran forward, launching herself at the crab, hoping the canine would see the fight and decide to find food elsewhere. She tried to focus on jabbing and dodging, but she couldn't help but notice the number of wolves were multiplying quickly- but had yet to move.

Out of literally nowhere, she watched arrows fly over the giant shell from both sides. Attached to the arrows was strong metal wire- the type they use to connect bridges. She pulled back a few steps, trying to figure out where, or more accurately who, they came from. The wires pulled taut and the crab screeched, pinned in place.

Sienna wasn't missing her chance. She ran forward and flung herself from the ground to the tip of the thing's shell. While it bit at her leg, she pulled herself up. Sienna thought she heard the sound of girl's voices yelling and calling orders, but she ignored it. Hera sent this after her- she knew it. She'd be the one to kill it.

Sienna propped herself on her knees, leaned over, and stabbed her sword to the hilt through the fleshy part of the crab in between the top and bottom of its shell. She yanked it sideways, practically gutting the thing in one motion.

She pulled the sword out, dripping in purple ooze.

Exhausted, she sat smack on her butt, her toes dangling over the front of the shell. Without warning, the crab's legs buckled and sailed towards the ground. Sienna gasped slightly and wrapped her fingers around the lip of its shell. She rode it until finally it rested on the ground, dead and contained.

Sienna took three big breaths.

When she finally looked up from the shell, she was staring at the mid-section of an angelic-looking little girl with platinum-almost white, blonde hair. Her skin was so white it was almost silvery and she gazed at her with barely-contained curiosity.

Sienna didn't move. Two young girls flanked her sides, both had arrows notched in bows- pointed directly at her heart.

The blonde tilted her head to the side and a small smile pulled up the corners of her mouth.

"A demigod. I haven't seen your kind since Valerie joined my hunters three decades ago."

She held a hand out to Sienna. She took it and slid off the shell. Her gaze was captured by the dozens of girls setting up tents and campfires- all dressed in silver hiking gear. A pack of at least twenty wolves rested in a corner of the clearing. She returned her gaze to the little girl and bowed to her- taking a knee.

"Lady Artemis. Thank you for your help."

She giggled and Sienna looked back up at her.

"I should say thank you, huntress, for stalling the beast and then dealing the killing blow."

"Lady!"

One of the girls, this one smaller than the rest, with hair black as night ran up to her offering something golden in her hand.

"War spoil, my Lady." And she handed it to Artemis.

Artemis took it graciously and admired it for half a second. It was a golden miniature-version of the crab's giant pincher. Sienna remembered that some Greek monsters- especially those made by the Gods, left behind tokens for their slayer.

Artemis pulled a chain out of her pocket and looped it through the closed claw. She bent and threw the chain over Sienna's head. The claw hung warm between her breasts. Sienna blinked at the young Goddess.

"T-Thank you, Lady."

"It was your victory, little hero. Your token."

She motioned for Sienna to get up.

"Come. Tell me your story while my hunters set up camp and prepare dinner."

Sienna followed the Goddess to the only set-up tent. The Goddess sat cross-legged on a giant pillow and motioned for Sienna to take the other. The two girls shadowing her stood outside the tent like sentries.

"What are you doing in the Canadian wilderness alone, demigod? It can be a very treacherous journey for your kind."

Sienna gawked at her. "Canada?!"

The Goddess's eyes widened. Sienna sighed.

"I'm a hunter, of sorts. I hunt Greek monsters, and the monsters of this time period. Vampires, werewolves, demons- you name it, I kill it. I was on my way to hunt a pack of werewolves when- Poof. I'm falling from a hundred feet above this forest. I've been trying to find my way out ever since."

Artemis sighed. "Who's your Godly parent?"

"Zeus. Yes, I know it was Hera."

Artemis smiled. "You're very sharp, huntress. What should I call you?"

Sienna smiled and held out her hand- the goddess took it. "Sienna Gold."

Her eyes widened and her hand froze in Sienna's. Sienna swallowed loudly and caught the incredulous gaze of Artemis's guards outside the tent. She took her hand back almost forcefully. Before the Goddess could respond, a brunette walked in with a steaming bowl of something that made Sienna's mouth water.

She handed it over and Sienna thanked her before practically inhaling it. It was hearty and rich beef stew and she had seconds, and thirds. Artemis spoke lightly to her hunters, but otherwise let Sienna get her fill uninterrupted. When she was finished, she turned back to the conversation.

"What have you heard?" She asked the Goddess.

She pursed her lips. "I'm not permitted to say, but it's not good."

Sienna sighed and Artemis leaned forward and took her hand.

"Sienna Gold, I want to officially issue an invitation to join the Hunters of Artemis. Eternal life of hunting and youth." She spoke quieter. "You may escape your fate, this way, if you so choose."

Sienna bit her lip.

"Thank you for your generosity, my Lady, but I must refuse. I know my fate will be a difficult journey, but I will not run from it."

Artemis smiled with pride. "You are stronger than most, Sienna Gold."

She stood and called over two of her huntresses.

"Bring Cademon."

When the girl returned, a wolf walked at her side. She stopped and Artemis whistled three sharp tones in a row. The wolf walked into the tent and approached her.

"I gift you, Sienna, with Cademon. He's a loyal pup and he will aide you in your journey through the Canadian wilderness. When you return safely, he will return to me on his own accord. If you ever get separated, use the whistle I did, and he will find you."

Sienna's brows were in her hair. Artemis gestured to Sienna and the wolf turned and plopped down next to her, his front paws touching her toes. She slowly placed a hand on his head and he leaned into it. Sienna smiled and scratched his ears.

The dark-haired girl she'd seen earlier with the golden crab claw showed her to her tent and Cademon lay directly in front of the opening. Though she was in the middle of nowhere, Sienna felt safer than she had since Dean died.

...

 _Sam chanted in Latin. She had to answer him now. He would force her to. Finally, she appeared in the center of the motel bed._

 _"Are you going to try to kill me? 'Cause I'll leave right now."_

 _Sam suppressed a groan and turned to her. "No."_

 _She sat up and tilted her head to the side. "What is it then? Miss my face?"_

 _"Where's Sienna?" He growled._

 _She gave him a confused look. "I figured she'd be with you. Maybe she got tired of the daddy and brother issues. You know, you're a therapist's wet dream."_

 _Sam lunged for her, but she disappeared, reappearing behind him._

 _"I was just kidding, geesh."_

 _"She disappeared out of thin air, and you're going to tell me who did it."_

 _"What makes you think I know?"_

 _"All demons know things they shouldn't."_

 _Ruby smiled. "True, but I can't help you. No demon has that kind of mojo. Maybe Lucy himself, but I don't think Sienna's on his radar."_

 _She sounded genuine- which only made Sam more frustrated. He sat on the edge of the bed and told her exactly what happened._

 _"That's heavenly intervention if I ever saw it. You're looking in the wrong direction."_

 _She pointed up._

Sam opened his eyes to the ceiling in his room at Bobby's. It's been a full month since that talk with Ruby. Still no sign of Sienna. Not even one lead. He'd been talking to Raina over the phone almost every day as her soldiers tracked every step Sienna had taken in the last ten years.

They'd narrowed the list of kidnapping suspects down to either Hades or Hera. They had the biggest ax to grind with Zeus, and Sienna had once told him other Gods take out their anger on their children.

He jumped as his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Sam."

"Hey, Ray, what you got today?"

She sighed, obviously frustrated. "Nothing."

Sam sighed too. "Do you think we'll ever find her?" He whispered.

" _Yes_! We have to, Winchester! She's supposed to save _the world_!"

Sam smiled. He had gotten used to Raina's abrasiveness. It was actually kind of cute.

"Anyway, I set up a base camp at her house in Boise. I've been training the less-advanced demi-gods there. Did you know she has two _whole_ obstacle courses? She was definitely holding out on me."

Sam laughed. "I think she'd be glad you're using it to your advantage."

"Yeah, well, she's not going to be glad about anything if she's never found."

Sam was about to respond when he heard a blast in the background.

"Uh, I gotta go-"

The line disconnected. Sam smiled, despite the bad news. He liked Raina- and he wished she didn't hate humans. She was the brainiest woman he'd ever met- three Ivy League degrees and she was a year younger than him!

He shook his head- banning the thoughts about her. He should be focusing.

He walked downstairs, got his coffee, and sat in front of the timeline he set up in Bobby's living room a month ago.

"Where are you?" He whispered.

...

Sienna thrust her shield at the closest harpy. The chicken-human hybrid squawked and hit the ground. Feathers rained down around her. There were only three left now.

"Cademon- sic." She called.

The wolf pounced on the bird-lady and tore in. Her squawks turned into piercing screams and quickly cut off. Sienna turned away- not a sight she wanted to see.

Another harpy flew down from the closest tree. She batted at it with Aegis. Her sharp talons raked Sienna's face as she fell to the ground. Sienna thrust her sword through her chest quickly and pulled it back out again.

She turned and Cademon had the last harpy, wing wounded, cornered against the trunk of an evergreen. Sienna strode over and dispatched the bird as easily as the last. Harpies weren't hard to kill, but they traveled in packs and were annoying.

She checked the pack the hunters gave her before setting off to the south- the direction Artemis pointed her in before they left. She checked the compass and whistled.  
Cademon trotted to her side and they took off.

Another hour or so later, the sun was behind her, almost invisible below the trees. Sienna had stopped to take a swig of water when she thought she heard an airy laugh.

She froze and listened hard.

Cademon was at her side in a moment. He leaned his body against her right leg, bared his teeth and growled into the wilderness. Sienna squinted, trying to assess the next threat.

Who knew Canada was full of monsters?

A nymph popped her head out from behind a tree. Sienna flinched and Cademon dropped his defensive stance, as if he recognized her. She curled a finger at the wolf and he happily strolled over and laid at her feet.

Sienna waved a tentative hand. "Hey there."

"You are the daughter of Zeus. My Lady spoke of you."

Sienna let out a small breath. "That's me."

She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at Sienna.

"You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

She pursed her lips. "Come with me, demigod."

She didn't wait for an answer. She turned on her heel and Sienna scrambled to keep up with her, Cademon following at her side.

They walked through a maze of trees and bushes, occasionally other nymphs would pop out of them to gawk and whisper. Right as she was starting to worry this nymph was leading her in the wrong direction on purpose, she dipped into a little house made of grass strung together tightly.

Sienna followed and was surrounded by the smell of lavender and an assortment of crystals and flowers. She got a good look at the nymph- she had skin the translucent color of a dragonfly wing and dark green hair the same color as the evergreens surrounding them. She blended perfectly with most of the foliage around her.

She gestured to a grassy nest-looking seat and Sienna sat, gratefully for anything that wasn't as hard as the solid Earth. Cademon curled up against her side and tucked his nose into his tail. She swore he was out in seconds.

The nymph put a hand against her own chest.

"My name is Maisey. I'm the descendant of a family of nymphs who've lived since the beginning of Rome." She hesitantly approached Sienna and handed her a picture. "Do you recognize this?"

Sienna took the picture and suppressed a gasp. It was the photo she found in her mother's things with the letters from Zeus. Some sort of Goddess, surrounded by nymphs, cuddling a pale, redhead baby with gold eyes.

"Y-yes I do. I found the same picture in my mother's things about six months ago. Why?"

Maisey looked at her meaningfully. "Do you understand, Sienna?"

Sienna's brow creased.

"No." She murmured, staring at the green-tinted women holding her as a baby.

Maisey sat cross-legged on the ground in front of her. When Sienna met her gaze, it seemed she was waiting for questions.

"Who is this?"

"Why, Mother Gaia, of course."

Sienna searched her memory. "Mother _Earth_?" She asked skeptically.

That's all she knew of the Goddess. She was supposed to literally be Earth incarnate, but who knew what that meant? As she took a closer look at the picture, she could see it. Her skin was either light green, covered in grass, or the flat brown of airy dirt. Her hair was a mix of wheat, flowers, and ivy. She was nature given form.

"Mother of all things living." Maisey whispered in reverance.

"But, Maisey, what is she... I mean, why..." Sienna held up the picture and shook it- at a loss for words.

A little ding startled Sienna, but Maisey simply smiled and walked to a shabbily-built cabinent and pulled out two steaming mugs. She set one in front of Sienna.

"Lavender chamomile tea. I figured you would need something calming after this story."

Sienna's brows lifted, but she remained quiet and sipped her tea.

"About a hundred years ago, the Oracle predicted a child of the big three would surpass all other demi-gods. She would be powerful beyond anything they'd yet seen. She also predicted that another child of the big three would challenge her. This fight would set the precedent for the next hundred years. A hundred years of light, or darkness."

Goosebumps lifted the little hairs on Sienna's arms and the back of her neck.

"Even in utero, it was painfully clear you were more than you seemed. Monsters could smell you from miles away. Other Gods tried intervening, but Zeus stood in the way. He sent your mother to Crete and told the Great Mother of the prophecy. Zeus was so sure you would bring a hundred years of light to Olympus."

Sienna stopped her. "What made him so sure I was the good child, not the evil one?"

Maisey smiled conspiratorily. "Could your mother raise an evil child?"

Sienna smiled and motioned for her to keep going.

"You were born, and the first sight of you, those gold eyes shone like beacons. It was a wonderful omen. You were the child of light. The Earth Mother delivered you herself, and she blessed you with us. The nymphs, pixies, sprites, the wildlife- we all watch over you."

Sienna froze. This was a lot of information- all very overwhelming. Maisey handed her the steaming mug.

"Lavender." She nodded at it.

Sienna took a sip without really tasting it, though the warmth settled her stomach comfortably.

"How have I never heard this?"

Maisey shrugged sympathetically.

"Telling you too early could've changed your path. It was too much of a risk. But you are well on your way now. When..."

She broke off and looked at her feet, finishing her sentence in a rush.

"When Dean Winchester went to Hell, it solidified your path."

Sienna closed her eyes briefly, bracing for the pain hearing Dean's name caused. She could see his face in her mind's eye- screaming out for her as the hooks in his skin slowly pulled him in every direction. She took a shuttery breath and continued with the conversation.

"I'm only one person how am I..." She trailed off, feeling overwhelmed. She took another sip of the tea, welcoming it's grounding effect.

Maisey pursed her lips and took her hand.

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown." She sighed. "Yes, it does seem impossible, but you have so much power, Sienna Gold. And don't forget, you have our help. If you ever need us, state your blessing and aid will be there."

...

Raina POV

This was bad.

She was running on two hours of sleep, but she couldn't rest. Not while Sienna was out there. Athena had shown her the prophecy two months ago. Almost a week before Sienna disappeared. Now it'd been a month and half and she had tracked every step she took, every dollar she spent, and every person she'd talked to for the past three years.

Nothing.

Sienna had literally just disappeared.

Sam thought Hades was the likely culprit- but Raina knew better. This reeked of Hera- the Goddess of Marriage, and Sienna's technical-stepmother.

Raina nibbled at the rigid edge of her already-chewed-nails. Nervous habit. She stood staring at the letters they'd found between Zeus and Sienna's mom. If there was any doubt in her mind that Sienna was the prophesized child, it was erased after she read the letters. It was clear- Zeus made sure.

Her inner conversation was cut off by Jack- running across the living room directly at her.

"What is it?" Raina called out before he even made it to her.

He held the phone out to her and she took it.

"Raina."

The gruff voice of Bobby Singer rang out on the other side.

"Hey, kid, you seen Sam?"

Raina hesitated. "No."

Bobby sighed. "Well, give me a ring if you do, okay?"

"Is he missing?" Raina's voice slid up an octave and the room, full of demigods, went silent.

"Not...officially. I just think he's doin' somethin' stupid, is all."

"I'll keep an eye out."

"Thanks kid."

She hung up the call and immediately dialed his number. He picked up on the third ring.

"Hey, Ray." He sounded like he'd been sleeping.

"What are you doing?" Her voice sounded like ice.

He hesitated before answering her, which only made him seem guilter. What of, she wasn't sure, but she'd learned to trust Bobby's judgement.

"Just...trying to find Sienna."

"Are you?" She scolded him. Before he could defend himself, she spoke again. "Bobby thinks you're doing something stupid."

"His wisdom is questionable."

"Look, Winchester, if you do anything to _hurt_ the search, I'll-"

"Hey, I want to find her just as much as you! This is my _dead brother's_ girlfriend- the only person I have left who knew Dean like I did. Why wouldn't I want her back?"

Raina let out a big breath. "Fine. But call Bobby. We don't need another missing person to worry about."

She flipped the phone closed. She wondered idily what he was doing, but it didn't stay long. She was too focused on finding her friend- and the only savior of their world.

...

Sienna was sleeping fitfully- dreaming of Dean again. Out of nowhere, her eyes sprung open. Cademon stood over her protectively, the fur on his back standing straight, a low growl rumbling from his throat.

Sienna stood quickly, swinging Aegis around her and pulling her sword out of her bag. Adrenaline coursed through her and, finally, she heard the first of the growls.

At first, she thought Cademon was growling louder- until she understood.

Wolves. Real, or were, she couldn't tell. Nothing had yet shown itself. It was the middle of the night- the full moon illuminated her immediate surrounding, but the trees created shadowy pockets she couldn't see through. She tried not to let the disadvantage make her nervous.

The first growl was joined by at least four distinct others. She had very little chance of surviving a pack attack on a full moon night in the depth of the forest. She swung Aegis on her back, shoved her sword through the makeshift holster she made out of one of her cut-off pant legs, and grabbed for the sawed-off shotgun.

She hadn't used it once on her journey yet. She vaguely wondered how long she'd been missing.

Cademon bristled even more when the first wolves' muzzle stuck out of the trees. It was much too large for a regular wolf. Sienna's heart beat picked up.

She wasn't giving them any chances. She pointed the shotgun directly at the lead wolf's chest, aiming for the heart.

"I know what you are, and I have the tools to kill you. Turn back, while you still can, Mutt."

The lead werewolf, most likely the alpha, bared his teeth and Sienna shot a round into his fur. He crumpled forward and slowly morphed back into his human form right before he died. The other wolves let out a mix of howls and whimpers.

Sienna backed her and Cademon up a few feet while they were focused. She couldn't outrun them, even if there was only one.

Too quickly, they all bared their teeth at her and pounced. She turned and ran, Cademon on her right. She turned and shot, but it was too chaotic for her to aim accurately. She still heard four sets of paws racing just on her heels.

Sienna took a chance and prayed Cademon was watching her diligently. She slid to a stop and tucked and rolled backwards, closing her eyes in case her plan didn't work like she hoped.

She felt the wind of the beasts passing her and opened her eyes. They were at a full sprint and couldn't stop as easily as she could. Two of them crashed into each other, sending them tumbling. Sienna aimed at those two and shot. One whimper pierced the air, but the others all turned on her now. Two down, three to go.

Cademon was on her right side, like he always was- but almost four feet away from her. She didn't like the way one of the wolves was eyeing him.

She let out another shot, as the biggest wolf lunged for her. Though she'd made the shot, the beast knocked her off her feet, his right paw gouging three long cuts on the side of her calf. She groaned through her teeth, but the wolf was dead- morphing back to human, his fingers wrapped around her ankle.

She shook it off and got back on her feet in one fluid motion. Her eyes were drawn to the two other wolves- one of which was seconds from attacking Cademon. Though her wolf was strong and an efficient killer, he couldn't possible fight off two werewolves twice his size. It was impossible.

The closest wolf tried to strike out and Sienna shot, but her clip was empty. She growled and threw the gun to the side, grabbing her sword from her hip. The werewolf stared into her eyes as he swept a paw forward, knocking Cademon on his back. Sienna gasped and let herself react without thinking.

Aegis flew from her right hand, almost like a frisbee.

The sharp edge of the metal sliced the thick muscles of his neck, squirting blood that looked black in the darkness. The wolf turned it's attention back to her. Sienna lunged with her sword and gouged the tip of the silver into the fresh cut.

The skin around it sizzled and smoked- the wolf cried out but didn't back down. Sienna could feel the other wolf's eyes on her, looking for the best opening to maim her. Out of her peripheral, she watched Cademon size up the other wolf from his position behind her.

At this point, they were surrounded. As soon as she killed one, the other would be on her in a moment. There was no other choice.

She lunged again, this time further, and thrust her sword hilt deep through the first wolf's chest.

Cademon barked- alarming her to the close position of the other. Sienna tried like hell to pull her sword out of the beast, but it took too long.

As soon as she had it liberated, she turned and was face to face with the last wolf of the pack. She stared into his dark green eyes, trying to ignore the razor-sharp teeth that were an inch from her cheek.

"You could just run." She whispered.

The red-brown fur of the giant beast stood up in defiance, as he growled low and menacing. Sienna tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Without warning, the wolf dipped forward, fast and lethal, and sunk his teeth a few inches deep into her thigh. She screamed- the pain was unbelievable.

She struggled to think through the fog.

Cademon took up the fight, jumping on the back of the beast and distracting him from furthering Sienna's wound. The werewolf threw him off and Cademon recovered quickly. He ran and stood, his body sideways, in front of her as she attempted to lift her sword.

Cademon lunged for his ankles, backing him up. Sienna attempt to stand and cried out when she put pressure on her bleeding leg. Cademon backed up, acting as a crutch for her. She leaned against his body and pulled power to her- though her vision was swirling.

When she felt the familar sting in her eyes, she turned them on the annoyed werewolf. She didn't say a thing- simply put a hand up and let it blow. The wolf was blown off his feet, laying limply on the ground, his limbs still twitching with electric pulses.

Sienna, through a mixture of crawling and limping, made it to the last wolf and stuck her sword hilt-deep through his heart. She pulled the sword back out and let it hit the ground.

Cademon raced to her side as she collapsed. He pushed her hands over his body with his nose, trying to keep her up. Her breathing was labored. She looked down at her thigh. Blood still gushed steadily from the ridged holes.

Cademon whimpered in her ear. Black spots dotted her vision.

"I am Sienna Gold, beloved of Mother Gaia."

Her whisper took the last reserves of her strength and then all she could see was darkness.


	15. Reignited

Heyyyy, I'm literally the worst! Sorrrryyy I've just been sitting on this chapter for months. I do plan to go forward, but my life is super hectic right now! R&R!

Dean POV

He opened his eyes to darkness.

He could breathe. Actually breathe. His hands, no longer bound, searched around in his pockets. He pulled out the only thing he could reach- a lighter. He flicked it and the flame illuminated his surroundings.

He looked around in a panic.

He was in a box. His heart pounded. Could this be real? He tried to call out for help, but his voice was scratchy from no use. He coughed and gagged.

"Help!" He screamed.

He pushed against the top of his possible coffin. Dirt rained down in his eyes. He pushed on the boards with all his might, groaning against the strain. The board broke and dirt pushed into the tight space, showering him in the earthy smell.

He could no longer breath. He clawed at the dirt, pulling his body through the tiny break in the wood. He almost panicked in between- he didn't know how far down he was. Finally, when it felt like his lungs might explode, his hands broke through the ground.

He pulled himself enough so his head broke through and gasped, inhaling deeply. He panted and groaned as he pulled the rest of his body free. He lay on long grasses staring at the cross that marked his grave site.

Once he had his bearings, he stood. He couldn't believe it. He was free. His joy was short lived. He turned in a full circle, his heart picking up speed. Every tree in the immediate area was blown over, like a bomb had gone off.

He didn't understand a single thing. But he was back. He had to find Sammy and Sienna- it was the only thing he could focus on.

He'd been walking at least three hours when he finally happened upon a tiny gas station in the middle of nowhere. It was closed at the moment- that much he knew. No signs still proclaimed what it used to be, an old car was rusting in the parking lot, and there was even a payphone still standing, though most of the glass had been broken out of the windows.

He knocked on the door anyway. "Hello?"

He looked both ways, but he wasn't being watched. He wrapped his jacket around a fist and punched out one of the glass panes. Once inside, he almost jumped in joy. There was still bottled water in one of the old coolers.

He guzzled a couple bottles. He turned on a nearby sink and splashed water over his face. He looked up, into the mirror hanging on the wall. He braced himself as he pulled up the edge of his t-shirt. Not even a scratch. He pursed his lips.

The one place on his body, besides his throat, that hurt was his right shoulder. He hiked up his sleeve, wincing as he did. There was a pink, raised handprint imprinted on the skin there. He stared at it, baffled. Before he could dissolve into mania, he kept on with his mission. Find Sammy and Sienna.

He grabbed a shopping bag and began filling it. He didn't know how far he was from Bobby's or if he'd have to walk the entire way. He stepped behind the counter and opened the register. He'd already ransacked the place- might as well get some cash for a bus ticket, at least.

The TV next to him blared out static suddenly. He froze and stared at it. He turned it off, hoping he wouldn't have to deal with anything else. The radio softly started playing country music and as he turned toward it, the TV turned back on- still nothing but static. He stashed the cash in his back pocket.

He found salt pretty quickly and started lining the windows, but a loud ringing was steadily getting louder in his ears. He covered them, wincing in pain. Dean flinched in shock as all the windows exploded inward, spraying glass on the floor.

Dean covered his head and attempted to dart out the door, but the next blast blew him off his feet. As quickly as the chaos had started, it stopped. No more ringing or breaking glass. He looked around incredulously.

Before it could happen again, Dean slipped out the front door. He went to the payphone and pulled a couple quarters out of his back pocket. When he did, something white dropped from his pocket, as well. His brow furrowed and he bent to pick it up. He turned it over in his hand and bit back a painful cry.

It was the picture of Sienna he'd taken the day he'd died. She wore his shirt and smiled, laughing, up at him. He closed his eyes and took a few steadying breaths. When he opened them, he brought the picture to his lips, lightly kissing her face, before sliding the picture back in his pocket.

Her number was the first he dialed, but it didn't even go through. It said the number was disconnected. His heart dropped. All he wanted was to hear her voice or see her face. He shoved the pain down and dialed Bobby. He picked up on the first ring.

"Yeah?"

"Bobby?"

"Yeah?"

"It's me."

"Who's 'me'?"

"Dean!"

He immediately heard the dial tone. He couldn't blame him- he wouldn't believe it either. He sighed and dialed again.

"Who is this?" Bobby answered.

"Bobby, listen to me."

"This ain't funny. Call again and I'll kill you."

Bobby hung up again and Dean groaned. Looks like he's on his own. His gaze turned to the beat up car outside the gas station. He lifted a brow and ran to it.

He fiddled with the wires until finally, like a lifeline, it started. He closed the door and headed for the road. He was only a five-hour drive from Bobby's place- faster if he had the Impala, but he got by. Once he was there, in front of Bobby's, his pulse thudded in his ears. What if they were all here?

He hadn't seen the Impala, but Sienna's little purple bug was parked where it always had. He mounted the stairs and knocked hesitantly on the door. When it opened, Bobby stared at him in horror.

"Surprise." Dean tried to joke.

"I don't..." Bob trailed off.

"Yeah, me neither." Dean agreed.

He took a step in the door, worried Bobby might be in shock.

"But here I am."

Bobby thrust a hand, now armed with a sharp knife, at Dean's neck. Dean barely deflected it, wrapping Bobby's arm around his back. "Bobby!"

The older hunter punched him in the face with the opposite hand. Dean stumbled and put an arm up to defend himself.

"Bobby, it's me!" He tried to reason.

"My ass!" He called back, heading for him again with the knife.

Dean grabbed the closest chair and used it to keep some distance between the two. He understood why Bobby didn't believe him, but pain stabbed through his chest anyway.

"Wait! Your name is Robert Steven Singer; you became a hunter after your wife got possessed. You're about the closest thing I have to a father! Bobby... _it's me_."

Bobby stared at him incredulously for a minute, moving the chair out of the way, and stepping closer to him. Dean kept his guard up just in case. Bobby grabbed his shoulder, and right as he was about to hug him, he thrust the knife back towards Dean's face. He narrowly dodged it. He tucked Bobby's arm behind his back again.

"I am not a shapeshifter!"

"Then you're a revenant!" He yelled back.

Dean grabbed the knife out of his hand and released him. Bob glared back at him from a safe distance.

"All right! If I was either, would I do _this_ with a silver knife?"

He pulled up his sleeve and slashed across his bicep. He looked back up at the old man, slightly exasperated.

"Dean?" Bobby asked.

"That's what I've been _trying_ to tell you."

He slowly walked up to the hunter and Bobby grabbed him and wrapped his arms around him. Finally- the reaction he was looking for. Dean held on for dear life until Bob pulled back.

"It's- it's good to see you, boy."

Dean smiled. "Yeah, you too."

"But..." Bobby shook his head. "How did you bust out?"

Dean shook his, too. "I don't know. I just, uh..." Dean put the knife down, and turned back to him. "I just woke up in a pine b-"

Dean was cut off by a spray of cold holy water in the face. He pursed his lips and spat out the salty water.

"I'm not a demon either, you know."

Bobby looked apologetic. "Sorry." He shrugged. "Can't be too careful."

They stalked back into the living room together.

"That don't make a lick of sense." Bobby was saying.

Dean wiped his face with a dish towel. "Yeah, yeah, you're preaching to the choir."

"Dean your chest was ribbons, your insides were slop, and you'd been buried four months!" Bobby explained. "Even if you could slip out of Hell and back into your meat suit-"

"I know. I should look like a 'Thriller' video reject."

"What do you remember?"

A million things passed through his mind. None of them PG.

"Not much. I remember I was a hellhound's chew toy...and then lights out. Then I come to six feet under. That was it."

The lie came too easily. He'd have to perfect it before he saw Sienna- she could see right through him, like no one else could.

"Neither Sam or Sienna's numbers are working." He got down to business. "They're not...I mean— "

"Oh, they're alive…as far as I know."

Bobby kept his eyes trained on the desk in front of him.

"Good." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He froze.

"Wait, what do you mean as far as you know?"

"I haven't talked to him for a month." Bobby shrugged.

"You're kidding? They're just out by themselves? And Sienna doesn't call you?" Dean questioned skeptically.

"He was dead set on it."

"Bobby, you should've been looking after them!" Dean tried not to get angry.

"I tried." The hunter squared his chest at him. "These last few months haven't been exactly easy, you know, for them or me."

Dean shut his mouth and stared at his feet, feeling guilty for not keeping his emotions in check.

"We had to bury you."

"Why did you bury me, anyways?" Dean deflected.

"I wanted you salted and burned—usual drill. But Sam wouldn't have it."

Dean raised his eyebrows.

"And Sienna?"

Bobby looked uncomfortable. "Well, she wasn't really a part of the decision process."

Dean's brow furrowed. "Why not?"

"She was in shock, I think. She didn't even say a word until it was all over."

Dean looked at the ground and bit his lip. He knew it'd be bad. Why'd he let it get so far? But who was he kidding? He'd make the same decision over and over. He took a deep breath.

"Well, I'm glad he won that one."

Bobby raised an eyebrow. "He said you'd need a body when he got you back, somehow. That's about all he said."

Dean narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"He was quiet…they both were. Then about a month ago he took off. Wouldn't return my calls. I tried to find him, but he don't want to be found."

Dean practically growled and swept a hand over his eyes.

"Oh, damn it, Sammy."

"What?" Bobby asked.

"Oh, he got me home okay. But whatever he did, it is bad mojo."

Bobby closed his eyes in exasperation.

"What makes you so sure?"

"You should have seen the gravesite. It was like a nuke went off. Then there was this force—this presence that, I don't know, but it…it blew past me at a fill-up joint. And then this."

Dean stripped off his jacket and pulled up his sleeve to reveal the pink handprint.

Bobby stood and examined it closer.

"What in the hell?"

"Yeah, it's like a demon just yanked me or _rode me_ out."

"But why?" Bobby asked suspiciously.

"To hold up their end of the bargain." Dean said angrily.

"You think Sam made a deal?"

He met the older hunter's gaze resolutely. "It's what I would have done."

…..

After a long shower and some food, Dean and Bobby were on the hunt for Sam and Sienna. Dean called the cellphone company Sam had last used and tricked them into turning on the GPS system.

"How'd you know he'd use that name?" Bobby asked.

Dean took a seat at the computer and started tracking the phone.

"You kidding? What don't I know about that kid?"

While Dean searched, he turned a concerned gaze on Bob.

"Hey Bobby, what's the deal with the liquor store? Your parents out of town or somethin'?"

Bobby's expression was shut-down. "Like I said, the last few months ain't been all that easy."

He pursed his lips. "Right."

The computer beeped and Dean sat back in the computer chair heavily.

"Sam's in Pontiac, Illinois."

Bobby picked it up quickly. "Right near where you were planted."

"Right where I popped up. Hell of a coincidence, don't you think?"

In another five hours, they were outside the hotel Sam was renting a room in. It'd gotten dark, but Dean's heart raced as he thought of his reunion with his brother and Sienna—both of which he was going to throttle if they had anything to do with his reanimation.

Dean knocked on the door and a small brunette girl answered the door. They stared at her in shock.

"So, where is it?" She asked.

"Where's what?" Dean asked, his forehead scrunching.

"The pizza that takes two guys to deliver." She said sassily.

Dean chuckled. "I think we've got the wrong room."

Another voice rang out before they could see the person it belonged to.

"Hey, is— "

Everyone froze. Sam was standing three feet from him. Dean unfroze first.

"Heya, Sammy."

The girl stepped to the side, letting Dean enter the room. Just like with Bobby, Sam immediately moved to stab him. Dean and Bobby both fought him back, and Bobby wrapped an arm around Sam's neck, pulling him away from his brother.

"Who are you?!" He screamed at him.

"Like you didn't do this?" Dean accused. Instead of being hurt by Sam's reaction, he was irritated.

"Do what?" Sam spat back.

"It's him! It's him, Sam." Bobby tried to reason. "I've been through this already! It's really him!"

"But…" Sam was breathing hard. Dean scoured the room with his eyes but saw no Sienna. Not even her sword, or shield, or duffel bag.

He looked back up at Sam.

"I know." He smiled. "I look fantastic, huh?"

Sam looked like he was about to cry. He surged forward and wrapped his arms around him. Dean pulled him close. He couldn't imagine what Sam went through. They pulled back to stare at each other.

"So, are you two, like…together?" The brunette was standing in the corner by the open door.

"What? No! No. He's my brother." Sam replied smiling down at Dean.

"Oh, got it, I guess. Look, I should probably go." She pointed to the door.

"Yeah, yeah. That's probably a good idea. Sorry." Sam answered awkwardly. Dean raised an eyebrow at him.

As she headed for the door, Sam followed her.

"So, call me." She batted her eyes at him.

"Yeah, yeah sure thing, Kathy."

"Christie."

"Right…" Sam trailed off.

She looked like a kicked puppy before he closed the door on her.

Once the door was closed, Dean pounced.

"So, tell me, what'd it cost?"

Sam looked up at him with a smug look.

"The girl?" He chuckled. "I don't pay, Dean."

Dean stifled a laugh. "That's not funny, Sam."

"To bring me back. What'd it cost? Was it just your soul or was it something worse?"

Sam looked up at him, incredulous.

"You think I made a deal?"

"That's exactly what we think." Bobby answered.

"Well, I didn't." He answered sincerely.

"Don't lie to me." Dean pleaded.

"I'm not lying."

"So, what? Now, I'm off the hook and you're on it, is that it? You some demon's bitch boy? I didn't _want_ to be saved like this."

Sam stood and faced him.

"Look, Dean, I wish I had done it, all right?"

Dean grabbed him by the front of his shirt.

"There's no other way that this could have gone down. Now tell the truth!"

Sam pulled Dean's hands away roughly.

"I tried everything! _That's_ the truth. I tried opening the Devil's gate. Hell, I _tried_ to bargain, Dean, but no demon would deal, all right? You were rotting in Hell for months— _for months_! And I couldn't stop it. So, I'm sorry it wasn't me, all right? Dean, I'm sorry."

Dean's heart was so pounding loudly in his ears he could hardly hear Sam anymore. If Sam didn't do it…

"It's okay, Sammy. You don't have to apologize. I believe you."

Dean couldn't breathe right.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm gladdened Sam's soul remains intact, but that does raise a sticky question." Bobby sighed.

"Sam, where's Sienna?" Dean barely heard the words over his pulse.

Sam's gaze shot to Bobby. He made his "what the hell" face at him and Bobby shrugged guiltily.

"Sam, where's Sienna?" He repeated.

"You didn't…" He accused Bobby.

Bobby shook his head and wouldn't meet Dean's gaze.

"If someone doesn't tell me, right now, I swear—"

Sam turned to him and took a deep breath.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? I thought you two were going to stick _together_!" He yelled.

" _We did_ , Dean. But one day she just…disappeared. Literally out of thin air."

Dean sat heavily on the bed.

"How long?"

"Two months." Bobby answered solemnly.

Dean ran a hand through his hair, catching the longer strands and pulling roughly. His thoughts were a jumbled mess. This was almost worse than Sammy.

"You…you don't think she did…this, do you?" Dean said through his hand, still not willing to meet eye contact.

Both hunters were silent at that. Dean finally looked up and Sam was thinking it over.

"No." He reasoned. "There's no way she wouldn't be here right now if she could. If she knew you'd come back, she would've been at the grave."

Hearing that made his heart thump painfully, but Dean wasn't as sure.

"You sure about that? Lilith offered her a deal the day I died."

Sam smiled shyly at him and plopped down next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I spent a good two months alone with her, Dean. Right after your death. I can promise she didn't do it."

Dean relaxed only slightly. "Then what happened to her?"

Sam sighed. "I wish I could tell you."

Dean stood and grabbed for Sam's bag.

"Well, let's start looking. You ready to go?"

Sam cut him off before he got to the door, a firm hand holding Dean from leaving. He could see the pity in his eyes.

"Do you have any idea where to even start?" Sam asked in a hushed tone.

Dean couldn't think of anything to say in response, so he just turned around and sat back down.

"Well, what do we know?"

….

After Sam had briefed him on the day Sienna disappeared, Dean was itching to leave. To search for her. He didn't want to rest until he saw her face. He could remember screaming for her as the hooks slowly pulled his body apart. He _needed_ her to be alive and in front of him.

"Is there anything, anything at all, that you can think of that would help?" Sam asked him.

Dean thought it over trying to remember every conversation he had with her before he died.

"She had prophetic dreams." He suggested.

Sam sighed. "All demigods do."

Dean half-gasped as he finally remembered.

"I remember her telling me about one where she's somewhere, alone, and in the woods."

Sam's brows lifted. "Now that may be useful."

Sam pulled out his phone and dialed a number quickly.

"Hey, Ray."

Dean only heard one side of the conversation.

"Actually, I may have something somewhat useful. You remember my brother Dean?"

"Yes, that one. Well, he's back, somehow."

Sam chuckled. "We checked. Yeah."

Sam pulled the phone from his ear and put it on speaker.

"All right, what is it?" A woman's voice asked. Dean thought he recognized it.

"I remember her telling me she had a dream where she was alone in the woods. It didn't happen while I was topside, so…"

"The woods." The woman repeated. "Of course, it's the _fucking_ woods! Why didn't I think of that?"

Dean's brows lifted. Sam took the phone with a light chuckle.

"Hey, I think we're all going to come up there. Cool with you?"

"Yeah, whatever. I've got work to do."

The line disconnected, and Sam smiled at the phone. Dean's brows lifted again, and Sam just shrugged him off.

In less than an hour, Dean was driving the Impala with Sam in the passenger seat, and Bobby following behind them in Sienna's bug. It felt amazing to be back to normal.

Only when Dean looked in the rearview mirror, trying to catch a glimpse of Sienna, did the hollow ache in his chest return.

"Hey." Sam got his attention.

He dropped something in his lap. Dean took a hand off the steering wheel and picked it up. It was the necklace Sam had gotten him for Christmas one year when they were kids.

"Thanks." Dean smiled as he pulled it over his head.

"Don't mention it." Sam paused. "Dean, what was it like?"

"What?" He caught Sam's expression. "Hell?"

"I don't know." He lied smoothly. "I-I-I must have blacked it out. I don't remember a damn thing."

Sam nodded slightly. "Thank God for that."

They rode the rest of the day listening to Dean's tapes, as Dean tried to forget the last three months.

It took them a full day and a half. They stopped to sleep on the way, though Dean would've just kept going. He didn't want to close his eyes. Dealing with his memories was bad enough, but imagining the awful things Sienna could be going through was too much.

He wondered if she dreamt about his return. Would she be happy? Dean shook his head. She might not even be alive, and here he was praying she'd throw herself into his arms. Dean drove up to Sienna's familiar gate and waited for Sam to jump out to unlock it.

When he did, a kid, probably only five foot tall with caramel skin opened it for them, ushering them through like a security guard. Dean pulled in slowly, gawking at the dozens of demigods practicing with each other, running through obstacle courses, and running in and out of the back door.

"Woah." Dean gasped. He'd never seen this many demigods before- didn't even know this many existed. Apparently, the Gods had been busy.

As he parked and went to step out of the vehicle, a dagger was immediately pressed to his throat. He gagged slightly and called for Sam.

Sam was around the car in a moment. He put his hands up defensively.

"Woah there, Raina! I already told you-"

"I know what you told me." The brunette's stormy eyes flicked from Dean to Sam. "But I'd be an idiot if I didn't check for myself."

She removed the blade from his neck, just to slash a shallow cut on the top of his right forearm. She watched him suspiciously, then shrugged, tucking the blade back in her waistband.

"Celestial bronze. Covers everything."

Dean rubbed his arm. "You could've warned me."

"Where's the fun in that?" She replied sourly.

She turned on her heel. "Do you want to be briefed or not?"

Sam and Dean scrambled to catch up with her, stepping in the front door. Dean sighed as he looked around the familiar house. It didn't feel right- all these people marching around Sienna's space without her there.

Dean peeked over at Sam. His eyes were glued to Raina. Dean half-laughed, despite his anxiety, and bumped him with his shoulder.

"You're smitten."

Sam stammered, but gave up quickly. "Yeah, well, she's not very fond of humans- men especially."

"Oof."

Sam sighed as they finally got to the living room- there were only three other people there and they were paying them no attention. Raina stopped in front of a huge country-wide map. When she looked up at them, Dean swore her eyes blazed a soft silver back at them.

"Since you told me about the dream she had in the woods, we've dispatched five teams to the closest forests from where she went missing."

She pointed to a few red pins on the board in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and California. She grabbed two more pins.

"I just sent out two more search parties. One here in Idaho, and one in Oregon."

Dean crossed his arms across his chest and nodded. At least this girl knew her shit.

"No one has seen a sign of her yet."

Dean sighed again- he needed to keep moving. He turned abruptly and headed for the weapons room. He'd go out and search himself. Sam and Raina complained after him, but he didn't stop.

Before he could step foot in the room, a small hand wrapped around his elbow. He stopped and looked down. Raina, resembling like a rain cloud, glared up at him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Dean bristled. "I'm going to help find her."

Her grip tightened and her tone darkened. "No, you're not."

"Raina-" Sam tried.

" _No_." She let go and crossed her arms over her chest. "You want the first thing Sienna sees to be her _dead_ human? No. You're a disaster waiting to happen."

Dean narrowed his eyes at her, trying his best not to explode at the girl.

"No one will try as hard as me." He defended through clenched teeth.

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Look, I know you're all in your feelings, but I've got the best trained demigods out there. If she can be found, we will find her."

"I can't just do _nothing_!"

Raina went back to scrutinizing the giant map. "I don't care what you do, as long as it's not that."

Sam tried to console him, but he brushed him off as he stalked to the staircase- at least he could hope for some quiet up there.

He walked in her room without even thinking about it. He froze once he realized. It was dark- the curtains were pulled tightly closed. He swallowed hard. Being surrounded by her things was hard- especially when he didn't know if he'd ever see her again. He ran his finger along the bottom of one of her scrolls.

The bed was made perfectly- no way she did that. Sienna didn't care about little things like that. He would bet anything it was Raina- she's got to be OCD. The thought of anyone in Sienna's bed but her brought on a sudden swell of anger. They couldn't treat her as if she'd never come back!

He rushed back down the stairs, his chest tightening and his breath coming in pants. He breezed by Sam, who put an arm out to try to stop him. "Dean-"

Dean ripped Sam's hand off of his jacket and kept making for the backdoor.

"I just need a minute." He yelled in a rush. Luckily, no one followed him.

He walked to the most secluded area of the acre she owned. He wasn't far from the house by any means, but there were no demigods over here, at least. He leaned against the chain-link fence and took deep breaths. running his hands up his face and through his hair. He hadn't expected to be so overwhelmed. But the pain of missing her...

Slowly, he pulled her picture back out of his pocket. Her smile was absolutely radiant- he'd give anything to see it again. He'd even go back to Hell. Sienna and Sammy were the only reasons he had to come back at all. What good was Earth, if she wasn't here?

...

Sienna knew where she was now. She recognized Cascade Lake- about a two and half hour drive from her house. That was last night. She had to be close.

She tried to follow the highway, but didn't want to get too close. The locals would freak if they saw a wolf so close to civilization. The last two days had been hard. She fought off a pack of telkhines, a strange mix of Doberman dogs and seals, last night, and still limped on her left side.

Cademon stayed faithfully by her side. She'd come to trust his support, and she thought he trusted her too.

Another twenty minutes and she almost cried out in relief. She could see the hill her house stood on. She loped forward with renewed energy- a shower, a cigarette, and her bed sounded heavenly. She heard shouts in the trees around her.

She ducked behind a pine and Cademon darted out of sight. She held perfectly still- not even breathing until she heard them pass. When she started on the journey again, Cademon was at her side.

She lengthened her stride- trying like hell to get home. Finally home. She had no idea how long she'd been missing, but she knew it was long enough for the summer to transition to fall. It was too cold at night for summer heat.

In a few minutes that felt like hours, she was walking along the high chain-link fence that circled her property. She couldn't climb it- the barbed wire prevented that, but she knew there was a spot that was weak and easy to climb under.

After circling half the acre, she finally found the weak spot. She pulled up the edge of the fence, rolling it to hide the sharp edges. She got on her stomach and army crawled until she could pull her legs through. Holding the fence as high as she could, she ushered Cademon through the small space.

She half-laughed in incredulity, surprised she really made it home. Relief soared in her veins and she laughed again. She picked up pace when she saw the house.

Fifty feet away, she saw him.

She skidded to a halt- literally. Grass clumped up in front of her toes. Cademon mimicked her. She was frozen. She'd rather be lost in the woods the rest of her life. Cademon picked up on her emotional turmoil, and stepped in front of her, letting out a low growl.

Dean looked like a deer in headlights. He took a hesitant step toward her.

"Sienna?" He whispered in awe.

Sienna flinched like he'd screamed it. Cademon took another step forward, and the monster with Dean's face finally saw him. His eyes widened more, and a crease formed in between his eyebrows.

"Sienna?" He tried again.

Hearing his voice broke through her shock. She shook her head back and forth over and over, as if she could clear him from her vision.

She couldn't do this. She'd killed hundreds of monsters since she'd been alone, but she couldn't kill Dean- even if it was just his face.

Anger bubbled in her veins. Tossing her to the middle of nowhere wasn't enough? She turned her angry gaze to the blue sky.

"This...this is low. Even for you, _you witch_!" She yelled.

Dean held his hands up in a gesture of surrender and took another couple steps toward her. Her sword was in her hand before she even thought about it.

"Don't." She tried to sound menacing, but she could hear the crack of pain in her voice. Cademon took another step in his direction and bared his teeth.

"Sam!?" He yelled back at the house. "I know you won't believe me, but it's me. _I swear, C_."

The desperation in his voice made her stomach clench uneasily. She felt her bottom lip tremble. She wanted to believe him more than anything. Cademon looked back at her for direction.

"Heel." The word barely made any sound.

Cademon sat on his butt, still angled in between them.

He didn't move any closer to her, but she recognized the look on Dean's face. His eyes lingered on the raised bite mark on her thigh and the claw marks on her swollen left ankle.

"Sienna, are you hurt?"

Sam ran up before she could answer. He looked in between them once. His head whipped back around to her.

"Sienna!"

He surged forward and hugged her. She didn't return it- she couldn't look away from Dean. Sam pulled back. At that moment, a tall brunette pushed Sam out of the way to take his place. Sienna still couldn't tear her gaze from his.

The girl pulled back and Sienna blinked in confusion.

"Where the hell have you been?!"

"R-Raina?"

Raina looked between her and Dean and pursed her lips.

"C, do you think I'd be here if I wasn't _positive_ he was annoyingly human?"

Sienna's hands shook. Raina and Sam slowly moved out of the space between them. Dean looked scared for her reaction.

Sienna threw her sword and shield to the ground and sprinted at him, barreling into his arms. Dean met her halfway, lifting her feet off the ground. She let out a small sob into his neck. One of his hands brushed through her hair and the other held her so tightly, she thought she'd have bruises. Not that she would care- she couldn't care about a thing with him here.

"I know." He whispered.

She clung to his neck, afraid she'd pull back and he would be gone again. She finally pulled back and Dean slowly placed her back on the ground. He didn't let go, only pulled back enough to run his hands up her neck and into her messy curls. Her bare skin tingled where he touched it and she closed her eyes briefly, overwhelmed by the satisfaction. It was like she'd been close to death this whole time- embracing it, and only with his return did she come back to life.

She looked over at Sam and Raina. Raina wiped her cheek and Sienna threw a lopsided smile her way.

"What? I'm not made of stone!" She yelled.

Sienna laughed for the first time since she was kidnapped and turned back to Dean.

He was smiling from ear to ear. He pulled her into him and pressed his lips to hers. She half-gasped. She had forgotten the intense wildfire that blazed between them. She grabbed the edges of his flannel, pulling him as close as possible. His lips were soft, but demanding. He parted her lips, running the tip of his tongue along her bottom lip as he did so.

When they both needed to breath, she pulled back. Dean kept her close, bumping her nose with his.

"I missed you so much." She whispered.

He ran his thumb over her cheek and smiled that crooked grin she loved so much.

"You don't even know, Gold."

"Okaaaay, while this has been cute and all- where the _hell_ have you been?" Raina asked.

Sienna sighed, but Dean didn't pull back any, and she was fine with that.

"The Canadian wilderness." She answered, still staring into his eyes.

"Canada?" Raina repeated incredulously.

Sienna finally looked at her.

"Well, I'm guessing, mostly. I was probably in Canada most of the time then I must have dropped through Idaho, until I got here."

Dean stepped back, raking his eyes over her body- taking inventory. His jaw muscles pulled taut.

"C, you're _covered_ in blood. You were gone two months. Are you okay?"

"Mostly." She shrugged.

"What happened to you?"

Sienna sighed and sat on the ground, crossing her ankles. Cademon crawled over, laying his head in her lap. She scratched his ears.

"Uh, yeah, we need a few answers." Raina said, eyeing Cademon.

"Fine, but someone better get me a cigarette."

...

Sienna sat on the edge of her bed, combing through her tangled wet hair. She'd taken a shower after she explained her journey through the forests to Sam, Dean and Raina. Her fingers were pruny from letting the hot water run until it turned cold.

Now that she was clean, she felt a million times better. She finally got all the leaves, twigs, and harpy feathers out of hair.

A knock sounded at the door and Dean peeked his head in. She smiled up at him, then frowned when she saw the first aid kit in one hand. He walked two steps forward and pulled his other hand from behind his back and lightly tossed something at her.

She reflexively caught it and immediately dropped it on the bed, shocked by the deep chill. She looked closer. It was a pint of oregon huckleberry ice cream- her favorite.

She grinned back up at him.

"You had to go all the way across town for this."

Dean shrugged like it was no big deal, and set the first aid kit on the edge of the bed. He leaned toward her a small smile on his face and a spoon in his hand. She chuckled and took it, opening the lid and starting in. She was looking down, so she didn't realize Dean had walked to the other side of the bed until his hands grabbed her hips, tugging her backward against the pillows.

By the time she'd looked back up, he was walking back around the corner of the bed. He sat on the left corner and started to clean the claw marks on her left ankle.

"You don't have to do that, I'm sure I'll be fine. I mean, I went two months without first aid."

He smiled up at her. "I'm just gonna do it anyways."

She sighed and watched him work, admiring his strong jaw and high cheekbones. The little crease between his eyebrows that meant he was concentrating. He wrapped a gauze bandage around it, lifting her leg slightly.

When it was to his standards, he lightly grabbed both of her calves and pulled her closer to him, propping the bandaged leg around his hip. Her heart picked up speed. She wanted to be as close to him as possible.

He ran a hesitant finger over the raised bite mark on her inner thigh. His lips pressed into a straight line and he shook his head lightly. He finally met her gaze.

"How did you survive this?"

"I'll show you sometime."

He raised his eyebrows but didn't question her any further. He ran his thumb over it slowly again, inspecting it for infection.

"Does it hurt?"

She gazed up at him, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"No." She paused. "Dean, are you...okay?"

He looked up at her, caught off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean being lost in the woods doesn't exactly compare to what you went through." She replied gently.

He kept his eyes dutifully trained on the scar.

"I don't remember a thing."

Sienna's brow furrowed. "Is that what you're telling everyone else?"

She felt Dean stiffen. He bit his bottom lip and chuckled ruefully. He looked up through his lashes at her.

"Yes."

"What are you going to tell me?"

He sat all the up and stared into her eyes, deliberating.

"I don't know yet."

She reached for the hand on her thigh, twining his fingers through hers.

"You don't have to, you know." She murmured.

He gave her fingers another squeeze, then bit his lip again. He was wrestling with something.

"Sienna, just because I came back that doesn't mean- I mean you're not obligated to..." He trailed off, keeping his eyes on the ground.

She scooted closer to him, using her other hand to straighten the buttons on his flannel. They sat face to face, Dean in between Sienna's legs.

"You're overthinking it, Winchester. What do you want to do?"

Her voice had turned soft. She tilted her chin up to gaze at his face. He looked like he wanted to respond but instead got trapped in her gaze. Raising goosebumps on her skin, Dean slowly slid a hand from her neck into her hair.

He bumped his nose with hers, his lips lightly grazing hers in the process.

"Is this what you want?" His breaths were shallow.

Her eyes fluttered closed. "Since the day you died."

The kiss started feathery and light, then he just barely nicked her bottom lip with his teeth. Sienna ran her hands up his chest.

"Really kiss me." She whispered against his lips.

Dean complied, sliding his other hand from her thigh up her body until he gripped her waist tightly and captured her mouth with slow, heavy kisses. The kiss itself took her breath away. No one made her feel as amazing as he did. She flipped the edges of his flannel over his shoulders and he quickly pulled it off. His lips never left her body.

Sienna's hands scoured under his shirt, mapping the flat plains and hard lines of his stomach and chest. She finally got it off and he leaned toward her, pushing her further onto her bed. Her fingers traced his shoulders. She froze. Dean felt her hesitation and pulled back to examine her expression.

Her brow furrowed. She realized, guiltily, that through all her relief to be home and disbelief that Dean was waiting for her, she hadn't even asked him how he'd escaped Hell. Now she was tracing her pointer finger around a large, raised pink handprint branded on his skin. He watched her expression warily.

"It's the only mark I have from that place."

She met his gaze. "How'd you get out?" Her voice sounded false even to her own ears and it didn't go unnoticed by Dean.

"I don't know." He murmured.

Sienna sighed. "I do."

He sat back on his feet in surprise, pulling her upright as well. Sienna scowled- leave it to her to ruin the mood.

"I met a kid once, demigod with some obscure Egyptian god as a parent." Her gaze flicked to the ceiling and back. She was definitely going to be paranoid for awhile. Who knew what God would inexplicably fuck up her life next?

"He was standing too close when his father released his true form and the parts that touched him..."

She traced the pink handprint again.

"A god?" Dean said with undisguised horror.

She laughed at his reaction- it was a justifiable one considering all he watched her go through.

"Anything...heavenly can make them."

"What does that mean?" He asked, flabbergasted.

She chuckled again. "Gods, angels, et cetera..." She trailed off at his crazed look.

"How do we figure who it was?"

She shrugged. "All I know is it's a heavenly creature."

Dean pursed his lips, turning his head to scowl at the floor. Then, like a switch flipped, he turned back to her and half-fell on top of her. Sienna let out a surprised puff of air. She lay on her back, pinned by this body. Dean kept his top-half propped on his elbows and stared down at her.

"Well, right now, I only care about one heavenly creature." His voice was sultry, instantly pricking goose bumps on the back of her neck.


	16. The Beginning of the End

Hellloooo lovely readers. I know, I'm the worst for not updating much the last few months. School's been kicking my butt! But the semester ends in 3 weeks, so after that I'll be back to weeklyish updates! Things are going to get crazy this season! Hope you love it! Review pleeeeeease!

Dean sat on the edge of the full-sized bed Sienna usually claimed as her own in Bobby's house. He stared down at her peacefully sleeping face and ran over the events of the last twelve hours in his head.

The morning after Sienna had found her way back, they'd gotten a jump on the task at hand. Sienna ran around the house packing her duffel and making sure things were stocked up for the other demigods. She decided to let Raina continue training her recruits there- they'd need all the help they could get for what was to come.

An hour later, they crowded into the Impala, Sam in the passenger seat and Sienna in the back, like always. It warmed Dean's chest to catch her gaze in the rearview mirror.

They drove to Bobby's, a straight four hour trip from Boise. Once they got there, Dean nonchalantly followed Sienna up to her room, and closed the door quietly behind him. She set down her duffel, clearly not paying attention to him. He stepped in her line of view and she looked up at him, raising a brow.

"If I tell you something, you can't tell Sam."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Okaaaay..." She sounded suspicious.

"I'm going to summon whatever it was that did this." He pointed to his shoulder. She pursed her lips, deliberating.

She shrugged. "When are we leaving?"

Dean shook his head. "No. We have no clue what it could be- its too dangerous."

Sienna only laughed. Dean was taken aback. Usually she'd at least act like his protectiveness was warranted. She wrapped a hand around his arm, immediately causing him to release the tense muscles in his shoulders.

"I appreciate that, Dean, but I've done some pretty impossible things in the last couple months. There's not much I'm afraid of anymore."

He stepped closer and trailed a thumb along her cheek, chuckling. "Were you ever afraid before?" The sarcasm in his voice made her grin.

Dean was guiltly glad she was coming regardless. He kissed her temple and dragged her back out the door. He'd already discussed his plan with Bobby, and the older hunter was prepped and ready to go in the driver's seat of one of the cars he had in the garage. Dean graciously slid in the passenger side, while Sienna hopped in the back.

They were barreling down the highway as Dean pulled his phone out and speed-dialed Sam's number. He didn't see him, or the Impala, at Bobby's- he must have left as soon as they'd gotten there.

Sam answered on the second ring. "Hey."

"What are you doin'?" Dean got right down to business.

"Couldn't sleep. Went to get a burger."

"In my car?" Dean asked, an edge to his voice.

"Force of habit. Sorry. What are you doin' up?"

Dean hesitated. "Bobby's back. We're going for a beer."

"Well, spill some for me, huh?"

"Done. Catch you later." He flipped the phone closed.

Bobby looked at him accusingly.

"Why the hell didn't you tell him?"

"'Cause he'd just try to stop us."

"We don't know what it is! It could be a demon, it could be anything." Bobby argued.

"That's why we've got to be ready for anything." Dean smiled. "We got the big time magic knife. You got an arsenal in the trunk."

We pointed with the knife at Sienna. "We've got the big time magic _girl_." He shrugged at Bobby, trying half-heartedly to make him feel better.

"This is a bad idea." Bobby grumbled.

Sienna leaned forward, clasping a hand on Bobby's shoulder. "I couldn't agree more, but what other choice do we have?"

"We could choose _life_!" Bobby exclaimed, and Sienna laughed.

"Bobby, whatever this is, whatever it wants, its after me- that much we know right? I got no place to hide. I can either get caught with my pants down again, or we could make our stand."

"Dean we could use Sam for this." Bobby said gently.

"Nah, he's better off where he is."

Once they'd gotten to the abandoned shed Bobby had mentioned, they all began spraying paint- marking wards, protective symbols, and symbols for entrapment. Dean set a table up with almost every supernatural weapon known to man. They were all set.

"This is still a bad idea." Bobby mumbled from behind him.

"Yeah, Bobby, I heard you the first ten times. What do you say we ring the dinner bell?"

Bobby walked over to the ritual items Sienna had laid out when they'd first arrived. Dean turned toward her and grabbed her by the hips, dragging her back until she stood behind him. She rolled her eyes at him, but he couldn't help it. It was second nature to protect her.

They watched Bobby attentively as he chanted. Nothing happened. The three hunters stood around waiting suspiciously. Every noise they heard set them on edge. After ten minutes, Dean finally looked over at Bob.

"You sure you did the ritual right?" He asked.

Bobby glowered at him. He held a hand up. "Sorry."

He started fiddling with the things on the table closest to him and gazed at Sienna, conspiratorily. "Touchy, touchy, huh?"

She snickered back at him and he grabbed for one of her hands, twining his fingers through. His hold on her tightened when what sounded like the wind started striking the top of the barn, causing a thunderous rumbling above them. He stood fully, gripped Ruby's knife tightly in his hand, and pushed Sienna behind him again.

The corraguated steel, that acted as giant shingles, lifted up and back down on the roof. Bob came to stand beside him, a knife clutched in his hand as well. Nothing else happened.

"Wishful thinking, but maybe it's just the wind." Dean suggested.

The light bulbs exploded above them, causing all three hunters to duck down, protecting their heads from the resulting shrapnel. The doors of the barn opened suddenly, and a tall figure made his way slowly in the protected barn.

Dean took another step in front of Sienna without taking his eyes off the man. They raised their guns as his face became clear- and then Dean heard Sienna cry out. Completely ignoring the chaos surrounding him, he turned around to see her clutching her head with both hands. He wrapped his fingers around one of her wrists.

"Sienna!"

He forced her head up- she looked at him through bloodshot eyes, solid gold tears running down her face. Dean's stomach clenched. He'd never seen this happen to her before- and he'd even seen her cry. As the man kept coming, Sienna's screams intensified.

Dean wrapped an arm around her waist, trying to keep her on her feet. Though they were unloading their clips into him, he never stopped moving forward. The man, dressed in a business suit and a long tan trenchcoat, circled Dean and Sienna. He felt Sienna's sharp gasp and looked down at her. Her eyes were wide, and then they rolled up into the whites, and Dean felt her body go fluid and her head lolled forward.

It took him less than five seconds to scoop her legs in his other arm. He held her against his chest and backed away, Ruby's knife still tightly gripped in the hand holding Sienna's head.

"Who are you?!"

"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."

Any other time that choice of words would've made him laugh. Not now.

"Yeah? Thanks for that."

Sienna still in his arms, he lunged forward, plunging the demon-killing knife to the hilt into his chest. The man only smiled pleasantly at him. Dean slowly backed away. The knife hadn't even hurt him a little. He pulled it out and dropped it to the ground.

Dean watched Bobby swing a crowbar toward him, and he swung around, caught it before it hit him and pulled Bobby close to him. Dean watched with a quiet horror as he pressed two fingers to Bobby's forehead and Bobby slowly melted to the ground. Dean was the only conscious person left in the room.

The man turned on him. "We need to talk, Dean. Alone."

Dean held Sienna closer to him and bent on his knees to get a look at his friend.

"Your friends are alive."

Dean glared up at him. "Who are you?"

"Castiel."

"Yeah, I figured that much. I mean, what are you?"

Castiel looked him in the eyes, with a dead serious expression. "I'm an angel of the Lord."

Dean barely noticed Sienna's weight as he stood back up and regarded Castiel suspiciously.

"Get out of here. There's no such thing."

Castiel almost smiled. "This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith."

Lightning flashed through the open squares in the barn, illuminating Castiel from the front- casting a shadow of enormous, feathery wings. Dean blinked and they were gone. He clenched his jaw.

"Some angel you are. You burned out that poor woman's eyes."

Castiel looked apologetic. "I warned her not to spy on my true form. It can be overwhelming to humans and so can my real voice...but you already knew that."

"You mean the gas station and the hotel? That was you talking?"

The angel nodded.

"Buddy, next time, lower the volume."

"That was my mistake," Castiel continued. "Certain people- special people can perceive my true visage. I thought you, or perhaps Sienna, would be one of them. I was wrong."

Dean's eyes shot to her face, and he squelched a sudden panic. He looked back at Castiel with pleading eyes.

Castiel sighed. "She will be fine, once I'm gone. She'll get used to the intensity over time. Half-bloods can react...poorly to the first meeting with a full-blooded heavenly creature."

Dean shook his head. "No, she's met her dad- and a couple other Gods, and she never had this reaction."

"Her father is an Olympian. They share power- Olympian power. My power is from God. The immortal half of her rejects my existence, as mine does hers."

Dean's arms tightened on her again.

"I mean the girl no harm." Castiel spoke calmly.

"So, what visage are you wearing now, huh? Holy tax accountant?"

Castiel looked down at himself, a little flustered. "This? Th-this is a vessel."

His anger came back. "You're possessing some poor bastard?"

"He's a devout man- he actually prayed for this."

Dean shook his head. "Look, pal, I'm not buying what you're selling. So who are you, really?"

"I told you."

"Right. And why would an angel rescue me from Hell?"

"Good things do happen, Dean."

"Not in my experience."

Castiel's eyes lingered on Sienna, before meeting Dean's gaze. Dean clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. "Do you really believe it a coincidence that Sienna is missing for two months, and on the day you start to look for her- she finds her way home?"

Castiel got close to his face, tilting his head slightly, and Dean didn't back away.

"What's the matter?" He inhaled and nodded like he'd just gotten an answer. "You don't think you deserve to be saved."

Dean seethed. He hated Sienna seeing through him enough- he didn't need some goody-two-shoes angel boy doing it too.

"Why'd you do it?" He asked in a gruff whisper.

"Because God commanded it. Because we have work for you."

Those last two sentences had been ringing in his ears since Castiel left- directly after he said them.

Now they were back at Bobby's- who'd woken up the second Castiel was gone. He'd laid Sienna down in her bed as soon as they'd gotten home and crashed out in his. It was morning now, and he sat patiently by her bedside, terrified she wouldn't wake up.

Sienna gasped suddenly, sitting up rigidly.

"Hey, hey- you're okay. I'm here." Dean crooned and leaned toward her.

She looked up at him with wide eyes, and then put a hand to her forehead. "Owwwwww."

She leaned back against the pillows, Dean watching her like a hawk.

"What..what was that thing?"

Dean snorted out his nose. "He claims to be an angel."

Sienna looked back up at him, squinting with one eye. She didn't look like she believed him either, but there was something in the back of her eyes that made Dean nervous. She blinked a few more times and shook her head.

"When he walked in, there was a painful white light in my head. I couldn't see anything- and then.." She paused. "Nothing."

Dean hesitated. "He said you'd be fine. That your immortality didn't mix well with his or something, and you'd get used to it."

She raised an eyebrow. "Like he'll be coming around often?"

Dean shrugged and ran a finger over her cheek bone. "You cried gold tears." He whispered.

Her eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "I don't think I've ever done that before."

He chuckled. "It was kind of terrifying."

She placed her hand over his on her cheek and moved it down to her lips, lightly kissing his palm. Despite everything, all he wanted was Sienna.

He took his hand back slowly, then he sprang forward on to the bed, sliding himself right next to her until his head balanced on the pillow opposite hers and he lay facing her. Her eyes were wide in surprise, but she smiled wide, too.

He let his gaze soak the sight of her in. His line of sight followed the slight bones in her chin, up her jaw bone, her high cheek bones, the dark green irises, and the ring of gold that surrounded her pupil. He knew he didn't need to memorize her features this time- he wasn't already dying, anyway, but he couldn't stop himself.

Things felt different with Sienna. They'd gotten more serious than either of them had wanted to admit before he'd died, but now... they could see it through. The thought gave Dean equal parts joy and horror. All he wanted was Sienna before he died, and even more now, but did he deserve her?

He thrust those insecure thoughts to the back of his mind, and pulled her on top of him. The expression on her face told of happiness and bliss, and for now, at least, that was enough for Dean. He brushed his lips over hers, and she sighed happily before kissing him back.

...

Sienna

After Sienna had gotten out of the shower, cleaned and dressed, she headed downstairs for her daily fill of caffeine. On the stairs, she could hear the brothers arguing.

"Well then, tell me what else it could be." Sam asked.

"Look, all I know, is I was not groped by an angel."

"Dean, why do you think this Castiel would lie about it?"

She came around the corner after Dean's reply, and Sam's voice shot up.

"A demon who's immune to salt rounds and devil's traps and Ruby's knife?!"

She walked into the kitchen, grabbing a mug.

"Not to mention what he did to me." She muttered.

Dean glared at her. She shrugged innocently. "Sorry."

"Don't you think that if angels were real that some hunter somewhere would have seen one...at some point..ever?!"

"Not necessarily." Sienna pointed at herself. "You'd never met any demigods before me. You didn't think we existed either."

Sam smiled at her, then him. "And you just did see one, Dean."

He glowered at them. "I'm trying to come up with a theory, here okay? Work with me!"

Sienna chuckled. "Dean, we _have_ a theory."

"Yeah, one with a little less fairy dust on it, please."

She turned and looked up at him. He narrowed his eyes at her smile. "I'm literally half magic. I think its safe to say your life is only going to get _more_ fairy dust, not less."

"You chuckleheads want to keep arguing religion, or do you want to come take a look at this?" Bobby's voice rang out from the den.

Like kids, they all stood up and surrounded the old man, Dean's hand placed lightly on her waist. After three months without him, every small touch sent her heart into overdrive. She wondered, briefly, if he knew how much he affected her.

"I got stacks of lore- biblical, prebiblical, hell, some of its in damn cuneiform. It all says an angel can snatch a soul from the pit."

She watched as Dean unconciously rubbed his shoulder. "What else?"

Bobby looked annoyed. "What else, what?"

"Could do it."

"Airlift your ass out of the hot box? As far as I can tell, nothing."

Dean looked like he'd swallowed a rock.

"Dean, this is good news." Sam tried.

"How?" He asked, incredulous.

"Because for once, this isn't just another round of demon crap. Maybe you were saved by one of the good guys, you know?"

"I don't know about that." Sienna grumbled.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were on the angel train, too."

"Well, there's no doubt its angels, but..just because they come from heaven, that doesn't mean they're good- or that they'll do good things for us. I mean, all the Olympians live up there, on Mount Olympus in the sky- but Hera threw me into the Canadian Wilderness just for existing, so..."

She shrugged. "Be careful."

"Look, Dean, this is becoming less and less about faith and more and more about proof." Sam reasoned.

"Proof?" Dean asked skeptically. "Proof that there's a God out there that actually gives a crap about me personally? I'm sorry, but I'm not buying it."

Sam looked exasperated. "Why not?"

Dean's gaze swung around the room unsteadily, like a caged animal's. "Because, why me? I mean I've saved some people, figured that makes up for the stealing and ditching girls, but why do I deserve to get saved? I'm just a regular guy!"

Sam smiled sadly, as Sienna slid her fingers through Dean's. He stared down at their intertwined hands.

"Apparently, you're a regular guy that's important to the man upstairs." Sam murmured.

Dean stared down at Sienna- the only one of them that could know how he felt. He kept his eyes on her as he continued.

"Well, that creeps me out. I mean, I don't like getting singled out at birthday parties, much less by... _God_."

Sienna squeezed his hand a little harder. "Welcome to the club."

They spent the next 5 hours reading through ancient texts and studying anything angel related. Sam went to the store for snacks, and while he was gone, Bobby was held up by the phone, grumbling like he was upset.

"You okay, Bob?" Sienna tilted her head at him.

He pursed his lips. "You remember Olivia?"

Sienna smiled. "Mom's, like, closest friend? Of course I do."

"Well, I've been trying to get a hold of her for three days now, about this angel stuff, and she hasn't called me back."

Sienna hesitated. "That's not like her."

Bobby nodded grimly. "I know."

As soon as Sam pulled up the drive, Dean and Sienna threw their duffels in the back of the Impala, while Bobby explained about his friend.

"We're going to check up on her. You guys follow me."

Sienna hopped in the back while Dean opened the driver's side door. "Scoot over."

Three hours later, they were armed outside of Olivia's door. Bobby went first, pointing his gun forward as he called out for her. They followed him into the living room, where he'd stopped and stood staring at something she couldn't yet see.

The living room was thrown apart. A few weapons were scattered here and there, a salt line poured over the kitchen doorway, and Olivia's crumpled body lying just beyond it. Her chest protruded forward, as if her heart had been ripped out. Bobby turned around and walked back out of the house. Sienna covered her mouth with a hand. She'd known this woman- loved her.

She took a deep breath and knelt by her body. Dean picked up a metal object.

"Olivia was rocking the EMF meter."

"Spirit activity?" Sienna asked- it seemed too violent for that.

"On steriods. I've never seen a ghost do this to a person."

Bobby walked back into the room in a rush.

"Bobby, you alright?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I...uh, called some other hunters in the area..."

"Good, we could use the help." Sam added.

"...Except they ain't answering their phones either."

...

They spent the rest of the day driving around checking on hunters nearby. Each and every one was dead, their chests sticking up grotesquely. Dean called Bobby to relay the news, and then they headed back to Bobby's.

It was getting late and Sienna and Dean hadn't been getting enough rest- so they'd fallen asleep when Sam pulled into some off-road tiny fill up joint. Sienna felt a cold chill and slowly her eyes fluttered open. She looked around, didn't recognize the gas station, and leaned forward to nudge Dean.

He groaned at her. "Hmmm?"

"Where's your brother?" Her voice was sluggish with sleep.

Dean blinked and yawned, looking around the dirt parking lot. "I don't know..."

In a matter of minutes, Sienna and Dean were searching the property, rock-salt loaded shot guns in hand. Dean refused to split up, so they systematically searched each corner of the store. Finally, they heard the shattering of glass coming from the bathroom.

They ran for it, Dean cocking his gun. As soon as the door opened, Dean shot the ghost. Before it disappeared, she could have sworn it was Hendrickson, from the Missouri police station.

"You alright?" Sienna asked Sam, offering her hand out to help him up. He took it, almost pulling her down with him instead of her pulling him up. He rubbed his battered jaw, but other than that he seemed fine. Sienna turned and caught sight of Dean, pounding a number in his phone and listening.

"Oh, come on Bobby pick up!"

Sienna half-gasped. She'd almost forgotten that Bob was home by himself.

They ran to the Impala- Sam's door wasn't even shut when Dean took off, spraying dirt and gravel every which way.

Sienna took his phone from him, repeatedly dialing the number.

"Come on, answer, Bob." She whispered anxiously.

Dean was conferring with Sam on the attack. "Hendrickson?"

"Yeah."

"Why? What did he want?"

"Revenge. Because we got him killed."

"Sam!" Dean chastized.

"Well, we did, Dean."

"Alright. Stop right there. Whatever the hell's going on, it's happening to us now, okay?" He met her gaze in the rearview.

"Sienna can't get a hold of Bobby, so if you're not thinking answers, don't think at all."

The hunters finally burst through Bobby's door in the early hours of the morning. She'd never gotten an answer from Bobby. They worked their way through his house quietly, guns armed and ready.

Dean picked up a metal pole that seemed out of place in front of the staircase and looked up at Sam. "You go check outside, we'll go up here."

He grabbed Sienna's hand and pulled her with him. They reached the top of the stairs. Sienna released Dean's hand and poked her head into one of the rooms. She didn't see or hear anything, so she moved on. She moved to the next, and then the next. The third room was completely black. She couldn't see a thing. She moved into the room and switched on the light. "Bobby?"

The door slammed shut behind her.

Dean was instantly banging on the door. "Sienna?!"

"I'm okay!" She yelled back, but when she tried to open the door, it wouldn't budge. She sighed. "Dean, it's not working."

"Step back!"

She did so and was rewarded by a loud thump as if he'd thrown himself against it. She cringed when he did it again, and then again. She went back to the door and put a hand to it.

"Dean." Her voice was soft.

" _No_. I will get you out." He enuciated each word distinctly.

He thumped against the door again.

"Just go find Bobby!"

"And just leave you here?!"

"I have a full clip in my gun and another one in my pocket. I'll be fine, Dean. Plus, there's really nothing you can do here."

He growled. "If anything happens to you, I swear to God."

"I'll handle it." She smiled. "Might wanna be careful swearing to God now."

There was a silence. "Shut up, Gold."

She laughed. "Go."

She heard him growl one more time and then his footsteps receded, following the rest of the hallway. Sienna pulled her gun close to her and took stock of the room. It was another storage room, each wall lined with bookshelves stuffed to capacity. She hopped up on one of the bookshelves and started whistling.

Two bars into Silent Night, and her breath came out in a puff of frozen air. She stopped whistling and breathed out again. She saw the frozen air again.

"Shit."

She jumped back on to the floor lithely, her muscles ready to spring into action. She had a prickling sensation on the back of her neck. She turned, her gun aimed and stared into the face of a five year old girl.

She stood frozen.

"You were supposed to save me."

Sienna's lips parted, but she couldn't find the words. She wondered if the other hunters had let their ghosts kill them. She could understand why, staring into the angelic face of Adelia Moore.

She remembered it like it was yesterday. A demon was possessing children in Sante Fe, New Mexico. It was a demon she'd been trailing for weeks- and it knew. She chased the demon through five different families, until finally, she had it cornered on a dead-end street.

 _She remembered the conversation with a sort of horrified fascination._

 _"So, you think you won this round, Sienna Gold?" The little voice had said._

 _She had joked. "I can't take you seriously when you're wearing a little girl."_

 _The demon laughed. Sienna took a step forward._

 _"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas..."_

 _The demon had pulled a large butcher knife from behind her back. Sienna hesitated, torn between the exorcism and the inherent danger the knife presented. Then, the demon smiled at her._

 _"You will regret hunting me, Sienna Gold, until the day you die."_

 _She plunged the knife through the little girl's stomach, hilt deep. The point stuck out her back as she bent over and spewed the demon from her lips._

 _"No!" Sienna cried, and fluttered around the little girl, as if she could help, but it was too late. She was dead- and it was Sienna's fault._

"Why didn't you save me?" Adelia asked again- pulling Sienna back to the present.

"I tried-" Sienna's voice cracked.

"Not enough." And the ghost charged her.

Sienna hesitated again, still torn about harming a child. Adelia pushed her with both hands, exhibiting unnatural strength, and she fell backward, sliding until her shoulders hit the wall. Sienna groaned and reached for her gun, only a foot away.

Adelia giggled, a shadow of her former life, and savagely kicked Sienna in the ribs once, twice, three times.

"My parents divorced because of you. My mommy still needs pills to sleep because of you!" Adelia screamed as she kicked.

Sienna rolled on her side and lunged forward, grabbed her gun by the barrel and dragged it to her chest. She turned and pointed.

She let out a shot, and Adelia disappeared, but it felt wrong. She didn't want to hurt her, but she'd been left no choice. Somewhere else in the house, she thought she heard the tell-tale sounds of fighting. She wondered whether Dean had found Bobby, or if he was dispatching ghosts of his own.

She'd never told him about this- didn't feel the need to. Every hunter had regrets. You can't save them all.

She heard a click and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the door slightly ajar. She groaned a little as she pulled herself back to her feet and dashed out the door, searching for the other hunters. She met Dean on the stairs.

"Are you okay?" He held her at arms length and scoured her body for noticable injuries. When his hand ran over her ribs she flinched and had to smack Dean's hand away from the bottom of her shirt. He glowered at her.

"Not now. I'm fine."

She heard the backdoor bang open so she grabbed his hand and pulled him with her down the stairs. They regrouped in the den, Dean and Sienna reloading their usual weapons, and two others for good measure.

"So, it's people that we know?" Sam asked.

"Not just know. People we couldn't save." Dean answered. "Hey, I saw something on Meg. Did she have tattoo when she was alive?"

Sam pursed his lips. "I don't think so."

"It was like a mark on her hand...almost like a brand." Dean pointed to a spot on his hand.

Sam gave him a look.

"I saw a mark, too, on Henriksen."

"What did it look like?" Sienna asked.

Sam searched for a piece of paper and pen, and then set to work drawing the marking. He held it up to Dean.

"That's it." He nodded solemnly.

Sam handed the paper to Bobby. "I may have seen this before." The older hunter replied.

Dean leaned forward to hand Sam a shotgun, and they all froze as radio static rang out in the den, seemingly from nowhere.

Bobby grabbed a few fat books off the wall quickly, tossing them at Sam.

"We've got to move. Follow me."

The three shared a confused look. "Where are we going?" Sam asked.

"Someplace safe, you idiot."

Sam grimaced, but they followed nonetheless. Dean had Sienna's wrist in his hand, and when she tried to yank it out, he held tighter.

"I'm not lettin' go, so you might as well relax."

She huffed, but stopped tugging anyway.

Bobby led them to a set of stairs behind the house that she'd never seen before. When they were safely underground, Bobby opened a heavy-set iron door set in concrete. He flipped on the light as they walked in to reveal a concrete floor with occult symbols painted over it. There was a cot set up, miniature desk set up, and every single type of weapon they had on deck.

Sienna was still staring in confusion at the room around her. When did he have time to do this?

Bob slammed the door shut and turned the giant, ancient lock. Sam turned toward him in wonder.

"Bobby...is this..."

"Solid iron. Completely coated in salt. One hundred percent ghost-proof."

Sam and Sienna were smiling at Bob.

"You built a panic room?" Sienna asked with obvious adoration in her voice.

He shrugged. "I had a weekend off."

She laughed at him before Dean caught their attention.

"Bobby. You're awesome."

Sienna chuckled and Dean smiled at her, planting a hand on her lower back. She leaned forward, lightly kissing his cheek. They seperated, Dean sitting at the desk to prepare shotgun shells with Sam, and Sienna laying on her belly on the cot researching the brand with Bobby.

It was relatively quiet for at least thirty minutes. Dean broke the silence unexpectedly.

"See, this is why I can't get behind God."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"If he doesn't exist, fine. Bad crap happens to good people. That's how it is. There's no rhyme or reason- just random, horrible, evil...I get it, okay? I can roll with that. But if he is out there, what's wrong with him?"

Sienna looked up and met Dean's gaze.

"Where the hell is he while all these decent people are getting torn to shreds? How does he live with himself, you know? Why doesn't he help?"

It was silent, and Sam looked to Bobby for help.

"I ain't touching this one with a ten foot pole."

Sienna sighed. "Just because he exists, doesn't mean he's good, Dean. I know plenty of Gods. They're just as horrible as they are wonderful."

Dean stared into her eyes. She told him the honest truth- hopefully that was a good thing.

"Found it." Bobby said uneasily.

"What?" They all turned toward him.

"The symbol you saw- the brands on the ghosts..."

"Yeah?"

"Mark of the witness."

Sam and Dean shared a look. "Witness? Witness to what?" Sam asked.

"The unnatural. None of them died what you'd call ordinary deaths. See, these ghosts...they were _forced_ to rise. They woke up in agony. They were like rabid dogs. It ain't their fault. Someone rose them on purpose." Bobby answered.

" _Who_?" Sienna asked incredulously.

"Do I look like I know?" He quipped back. "But whoever it was used a spell so powerful it left a mark, a brand on their soul. Whoever did this had big plans. It's called the rising of the witnesses. It figures into an ancient prophecy."

Dean stood up slowly and started toward Bobby. "Wait, wait. What- what book is that prophecy from?"

"Well the widely distributed version is just for tourists, you know. But long story short- Revelations."

The brothers stared at Bobby like he was crazy and Sienna's pulse shot through the roof. Revelations. The end of the world. It was finally happening.

"This is a sign, boys."

"A sign of what?" They mirrored each other.

Bobby hesitated and Sienna couldn't hold it in any longer.

"The apocalypse."

The boys turned on her. Sam looked like he was questioning her sanity. Dean stared at her with wide eyes. She started to continue but Dean shook his head almost imperceptibly. She gave him a look that said she definitely didn't agree. Sam needed to know about the prophecy in her room back at home.

"Apocalypse? As in, _apocalypse_ , apocalypse? Sam asked.

"Yep." Bobby nodded.

"The four horseman, pestilence, five dollar a gallon gas apocalypse?" Dean added.

"That's the one." Bobby sighed. "The rise of the witnesses is a mile marker."

"Okay, so what do we do now?" Sam asked.

Dean scoffed and walked towards Sienna.

"Road trip. Grand Canyon, Star Trek experience."

He sat down heavily in the metal chair at the desk, leaned forward, and tugged Sienna to him until she practically fell into his lap.

"First things first, how about we survive our friends out there?" Bobby sighed again.

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Great, any ideas aside from staying in this room until judgement day?"

Bob tapped his notebook with a pencil. "It's a spell. To send the witnesses back to rest. _Should_ work."

"Should?" Sam chuckled without humor. "Great."

"If I translate it correctly, I think we've got everything we need here at the house."

Sienna tapped Dean's arms so he'd let her up and went to read over Bobby's shoulder. He raised an eyebrow.

"You read Hebrew?"

She smiled. "Need help?"

"Any chance you got everything we need in this room?" Dean asked hopefully.

"So, you thought our luck was gonna start now all of a sudden? Spell's got to be cast over an open fire."

Sam chuckled. "The fire place in the library."

"Bingo."

"That's just not as appealing as a ghost-proof panic room, you know?" Dean whined.

Sienna stood in front of him with a hand out. "I'll protect you." She said sarcastically.

He narrowed his eyes at her, but took her hand regardless.

They stood and loaded the shotguns Bobby had on the walls. Bobby held the spell book close to him and Dean kept a sharp eye on Sienna- she could practically feel it. Bobby turned to address the younger hunters as he stood with his hand on the door.

"Cover each other and aim careful. Don't run out of ammo until I'm done or they'll shred you. Ready?" They nodded and he opened the door.

Sam stepped out first, aiming his gun in case any spirits appeared. Sienna crept out after him with Dean close on her heels and Bobby in the very back. They reached the stairs and Dean thrust up his shot gun at a thick man with curly brown hair. He smiled at Dean, who froze.

"Hey, Dean. You remember me?"

"Ronald, huh? With the laser eyes?" Dean sighed. "I wish I could say it was good to see you."

"I am _dead_ because of you. You were supposed to help me!"

Dean and Sienna jumped as Bobby shot the specter from behind them. Dean gave him a 'what the hell' look.

"If you're gonna shoot, shoot. Don't talk."

They darted up the stairs, Dean's hand wrapped around Sienna's elbow. He was a permanent fixture to her side. Dean and Sam stepped back with guns ready as Bobby and Sienna ran around the house gathering all the supplies needed for the spell.

They gathered in the library next to the fire place. Sam dumped salt in a circle around the group and Sienna and Bobby laid out the ingredients. Dean lit the wood in the fireplace.

Bobby turned to her. "Upstairs linen closet- red hex box. It'll be heavy."

"Got it."

She sprinted up the stairs, her shotgun in its strap on her back. She got to the linen closet and found the box without any trouble. She turned around and at the end of the hall stood Adelia. She was crying. Sienna took a deep breath and shot. She disappeared and Sienna wasted no time darting back down the stairs.

She got back to Bobby just in time to see the library door slide closed, Dean on the other side.

"Dean?" She yelled.

"I'm alright! Just keep working!"

She huffed, but knew he was right. So instead of breaking the door down like she wanted to, she helped Bobby as much as she could while she paced. Finally, Dean and Sam emerged from the kitchen, ingredients in hand. Dean was rubbing just over his heart. Sienna rushed him.

"Are you hurt?" Sienna asked, her hands fluttering around him anxiously.

He grabbed one of her hands and kissed the back of her fingers, his eyes heavy-lidded with affection. He caressed her cheek with a soft smile on his face.

"I'm fine, baby." He murmured.

His expression had butterflies erupting in her stomach, despite the chaos and horror surrounding them. The three hunters made a protective ring around Bobby.

Bobby started the ritual, chanting in Hebrew. The windows flew open, letting an insane gust of wind in the house. Sienna put up her hands and tried to manipulate it, but the second the wind touched her palms, they were scorched.

She gasped and pulled her hands back to her body.

Spirits popped up over and over. Meg, Hendrickson, Adelia, Ronald. They shot round after round after round while Bobby continued the spell.

Hendrickson appeared in front of Dean as he was reloading and threw his gun across the room. Sienna reloaded as quickly as she could as he crept closer and closer. Dean swung a crowbar through him suddenly and he vanished.

Sienna whipped her head around as Meg pushed a desk and smashed Sam between it and the wall. Before she had time to react, Adelia appeared and shoved a hand at her. Sienna was pushed to the ground and slid across the floor until her shoulders crashed into a bookshelf. Books rained down on her from the impact.

"C! Sam!" Dean yelled.

She groaned and rolled onto her stomach. "I'm fine!" She managed.

"Protect Bobby!" Sam agreed.

She heard Bobby groan and yell "Dean! Fireplace!"

There was a blinding white light that Sienna hid her face from. When she lifted her head, the wind and spirits were gone. She slowly gathered her feet under her and stood. Dean was already at her side, Sam at Bobby's.

"You okay?"

She took his hand. "Yeah. I'm fine."

She rubbed her hand over his heart- where Hendrickson had tried to rip it out.

"Are you?"

He took her hand from his chest and twined his fingers through. "As long as you are."

...

She woke up when Dean sat up rigidly in bed. They'd all crashed out after a dinner of Chinese takeout and a few bottles of beer. She rubbed her eyes and reached for his bare shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

He looked back at her uneasily. "I think he's here."

She raised her eyebrows. "Who?"

"Castiel."

She blinked a few times. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and pulled on a pair of Dean's old boxers. He stared up at her.

"Well, come on. What're you waiting for?"

He smiled halfheartedly and got up, grabbing one of the spare t-shirts he kept in her room. They crept out of the room quietly, trying not to wake Sam. They found him in the kitchen. The closer they got the more Sienna's head pounded.

She put her hand up to her temple and Dean stopped walking.

"Are you alright?" He asked. "You should probably stay here, C."

She looked up at him indignant.

"But, you _won't_ , so let's go." He sighed.

They were standing a few feet from him. Sienna squinted her eyes. It was like he was surrounded by bright white light. She tried to look at him and her eyes teared up. She scrubbed it away with the back of her hand. Her fingers came back smeared with gold.

She blinked at it, but decided not to freak out now. She'd do that later.

"Hey, could you turn down the wattage? You're killing me." She complained.

"Focus on my human vessel and it should fade away."

She opened her eyes and stared at his face. Her head felt like it would explode. Then, as if a switch flipped, the brightness dissipated and all that was left was the human vessel.

"Oh." She said pleasantly. She blinked a few more times.

"Nice job with the witnesses."

Dean glared at him. "You were hip to all this?"

"I was...made aware."

"Well, thanks a lot for the angelic assistance. You know, I almost got my heart ripped out of my chest."

He gave him a semi-patronizing look. "But you didn't."

"I thought angels were supposed to be guardians. Fluffy wings, halos...you know, Michael Landon. Not dicks." Dean was getting angry.

Castiel almost smiled. "Read the bible. Angels are warriors of God. I'm a soldier."

"Yeah? Then why didn't you fight?" Sienna asked.

"I'm not here to perch on your shoulder." Sarcasm tinged the angel's voice. "We had larger concerns."

"Concerns?" Dean quipped. "There were people getting torn to shreds down here! And by the way, while all this is going on, where the hell is your boss, huh? If there is a God?"

"There's a God."

"I'm not convinced. 'Cause if there's a God, what the hell is he waiting for, huh? Genocide? Monsters roaming the Earth? The freaking apocalypse! At what point does he lift a damn finger and help the poor bastards that are stuck down here?"

Castiel's eyes shifted to Sienna at the sound of the apocalypse. Dean bristled, stepping in front of her and crossing his arms.

"There's nothing you can do, Dean. Her fate was sealed the day she was born."

Sienna stepped to the side to look at the angel. "What do _you_ know about it?"

He stayed silent, but his expression didn't reassure her.

"The Lord works-"

"If you say mysterious ways, so help me, I will _kick your ass_."

Castiel threw his hands up.

"So, Bobby was right...about the witnesses. This is some kind of a...sign of the apocalypse?"

Castiel looked at Sienna again. Dean puffed up.

"Will you stop that?"

Castiel turned his gaze back to Dean impatiently.

"That's why we're here. Big things afoot."

"Do I want to know what kind of things?"

Castiel shrugged. "I sincerely doubt it, but you need to know. The rising of the witnesses is one of the sixty six seals."

"Okay, I'm guessing that's not a show at SeaWorld."

"Those seals are being broken by Lilith."

"She did the spell. She rose the witnesses." Dean shook his head like he could make it go away.

"Mhhmm. And not just here. Twenty other hunters are dead."

"Of course. She picked victims that the hunters couldn't save so that they would barrel right after us."

"Lilith has a certain sense of humor."

Sienna made a disgusted noise. "Well, we put those spirits back to rest."

Castiel shrugged. "It doesn't matter. The seal was broken."

"Why break the seal at all?" Dean asked.

"You can think of the seals as locks on a door."

His wording made a memory spring into Sienna's head. The scroll tacked up gently to her wall- the locks, the apocalypse. "Oh Gods..." She whispered covering her mouth with a hand.

Castiel and Dean both looked at her. Dean in confusion and Castiel in understanding.

"Last one opens and..." Dean asked.

Castiel stayed quiet, his eyes still trained on Sienna's face.

"Lucifer." Sienna's whisper echoed around them.

Dean looked at her in denial. "I-I thought Lucifer was just a story they told in demon Sunday school. There's no such thing."

"Three days ago, you thought there was no such thing as do you think we're here walking among you now for the first time in two thousand years?"

"To stop Lucifer." The words made almost no noise as Dean said them.

"That's why we've arrived."

Dean scoffed. "Well...bang up job so far. Stellar work with the witnesses. That's nice."

He grabbed Sienna's waist and started pulling her in the direction of the stairs.

"We tried. And there are other battles. Other seals. Some we'll win, some we'll lose. This one we lost."

Dean took another step and Castiel was suddenly in front of them, blocking their way.

"Our numbers are not unlimited. Six of my brothers died in the field this week. You think the armies of heaven should just follow you around? There's a bigger picture here."

He stepped into their personal space and Dean pushed Sienna behind him.

"You should show me some respect. I dragged you out of hell, I can throw you back in." Castiel finished.

Dean took a breath to respond, and Castiel vanished.

Dean sighed as Sienna pulled him back up the stairs. When they finally got back to her room, Dean smooshed her onto the bed and she laughed while she pushed against his chest.

"So, let's recap. I meet you ten months before I get dragged to Hell, then I get to come back to you, and it's the god damn apocalypse. Are we ever going to catch a break?"

She giggled and kissed him sweetly. "Probably not."


	17. A Window to the Past

GUYS! I'm back. School kicked my butt this year, forgive me! I'm taking a year off, so expect weekly updates to come back!

SO, here's an extra-long, ultra sweet chapter. R&R!

Dean woke suddenly.

Sienna was curled up on her side, one arm wrapped around his chest and her face pressed into the middle of his back. He could feel her slow, steady breaths against his skin. Dean had trouble sleeping since he'd gotten back. He'd have dreams of that place... _Hell_.

Sometimes he still didn't believe it.

He was terrified of the day he'd wake back up surrounded by screams. It just didn't make sense- an angel rescued him from the worst place on Earth, Sienna and Sam were both safe and with him, and Dean felt almost normal.

Almost.

"And what were you dreaming about?"

Dean jumped, and he felt Sienna stir, rolling onto her back and groaning. Dean turned towards her and found Castiel perched on the edge of the bed, only a few inches from her back. He sighed and took a few deep breaths, not totally settled from the nightmare.

"You get your freak on by watching other people sleep?"

He sat up halfway and Sienna groaned again before scooching over to him and laying her head in his lap. He almost smiled and ran his hand through her wildly tangled curls.

"What do you want?" Dean asked Castiel in a whisper.

"Listen to me. You have to stop it." Castiel was dead serious- but he always seemed that way.

"Stop what?"

...

Dean woke up to someone shoving his shoulder.

"Move it, you two."

He opened his eyes and stared around incredulously. There was a cop shaking Sienna, who was miraculously clothed.

"You can't sleep here."

Dean looked around again. And again.

He had no idea where they were. It was bright and sunny out and Sienna was barely awake. She rubbed her eyes grumpily.

"What the hell?" She asked.

"I-I don't know..." Dean answered.

Dean searched through his jacket pockets and pulled out his cell phone. Sienna tried to do the same but came up empty-handed. His phone, though charged, couldn't find a signal- in the middle of a town.

"Perfect." He sighed.

He stood and held out his hand to her. "Hungry?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing you are."

She smiled and took his hand. Dean wanted to escape with her. Just leave. Get in a car and never stop driving. He was so tired of his life being one crazy shit-show after another. She was his constant- always there. Even when they didn't know where they were or what the hell was happening, Sienna was there.

A cold chill clamped around his heart. He knew he should tell her. He didn't want to keep anything from her...but this...it could ruin everything. How could she stay with him? Dean couldn't bear to see her go, but felt guilty letting her stay.

"Dean?"

He blinked and met her gaze. She stepped toward him, caressing his cheek. She looked genuinely concerned. She'd been getting more worried as time went on. He obviously wasn't getting any better at keeping his emotions secret.

"Are you okay?"

He leaned down and kissed her softly.

"Let's go eat." He said, dragging her across the street.

They went in and took seats at the counter. There was another man there, next to Dean, with dark hair and a familiar face. Dean ignored a twinge of deja vu and turned to him.

"Hey, where the hell am I?"

"Jay Bird's Diner."

Dean looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Yeah, thanks, I, uh, meant city and state."

"Lawrence, Kansas."

Sienna leaned her head toward them.

"Really?" She sounded like she was suppressing her emotions- either excitement or fear.

"Are you guys okay?"

Dean rubbed a hand down his face. "Yeah. Tough night."

Sienna's concerned look came back. Dean leaned her over on her stool and kissed the top of her head, trying to send 'I'm fine' signals.

"Hey, uh, two coffees here, Reg?"

Dean pulled out his phone. "You wanna tell me where I can get reception on this thing?"

The guy chuckled. "The U.S.S Enterprise?"

Sienna stared at him with an odd expression on her face. The waiter placed two coffees on the counter in front of Dean and Sienna. Sienna raised both eyebrows at the waiter's fur vest and paisley button up.

"Nice threads. You know Sonny and Cher broke up, right?" He teased.

Dean turned back to Sienna. She was thinking hard on something- she always bit the inside of her cheek when she was thinking.

The customer on Dean's side leaned over. "Sonny and Cher broke up?"

Sienna surged out of her seat and grabbed Dean by the arm, towing him to the bathrooms. She forced him into the single uni-sex bathroom and turned around.

"What is it?" He asked.

"This is going to sound crazy."

He raised his eyebrows. "Crazy for us is a whole lot of crazy."

She took a deep breath. "I think we're in the past. The 70s, to be specific."

"What?" He tried not to laugh.

"Dean." She put her hands on either side of his face, forcing him to stay focused on her.

"Their clothes. Your cell phone doesn't work. They obviously think Cher and Sonny are still together!"

He stared at her, his eyes narrow in contemplation.

"Maybe..." Dean agreed.

She bit her bottom lip. "Okay, here's the kicker."

He raised his eyebrows even further. "Something _crazier_ than being in the 70s?"

"You were talking to Castiel this morning, right?"

"Yeah. He must be behind this."

"Well...we're in _Lawrence, Kansas_..in _the 70s_."

He just stared at her. She threw up her hands in exasperation.

"Dean!"

He threw his hands up, too, in surrender and laughed. "What? I don't know what you're getting at."

She smiled, clearly humoring him, grabbed his hands, and put them on her waist. She cupped his cheeks with her hands.

"Have you looked at the man you're sitting beside? Like, _really_ looked at him?"

He tilted his head, confused by her question.

"Like his build?" She said, running her hands along his shoulders.

"Or the dark hair?" She ran her hands up the back of his neck into his hair and he resisted the urge to ignore her words and focus on her touch.

But Dean was starting to understand what she was saying. Her hands came back up to cup his cheeks. She smiled softly at him.

"And I'd recognize those green eyes anywhere." She whispered, staring into his eyes.

He leaned down and captured her lips, almost not of his own volition. When he pulled back, he shook his head in shock.

"You're telling me we're in the 70s."

"Yes."

"And that's my father."

"That's exactly what I'm telling you."

"Are you _sure_?"

She smiled and kissed his nose. "Like ninety-eight percent."

He sighed. "Well, let's go test that other two."

Dean towed Sienna out of the bathroom and back to their seats, trying to act nonchalant. They took their seats and Dean covertly checked out the guy next to him. He supposed it could have been his dad. He did bear a close resemblance to Dean himself. He turned to say something to Sienna, when an older man walked in and headed their way.

"Hey, Winchester!"

All three of their heads snapped up at his voice. Then the old man completely bypassed Dean and Sienna and shook the shoulder of the man next to him. The two exchanged pleasantries while Dean stared open-mouthed at Sienna in shock.

He turned the other way and stared at the young man, barely his age, who would become his father.

"Good to have you home John, damn good. Well say hello to your old man for me."

"You got it Mr. D." John replied.

Dean was still staring when he turned back to the counter, raising an eyebrow at his expression.

"Do we know each other?"

Dean shook his head lightly and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"No, I-I guess not."

"Take it easy, pal."

John got up and headed for the door, meeting Dean's gaze again as he opened it and left. He just sat there, frozen, for a minute. Sienna hopped up and he looked up at her. She tugged on his arm, pulling him towards the door.

"Do you wanna sit here and freak out or do you wanna follow your dad and figure out why we're here?"

He hesitated for only another second before standing up and letting her pull him through the door. They kept up a leisurely pace through downtown, keeping their eyes on John- he felt like he couldn't think of him as his father right now.

They rounded a corner and slid to a halt. Sienna almost crashed into him from such a sudden stop. Castiel stood in front of them. Dean tried not to imagine throttling the angel.

"What is this?" He asked gruffly.

"What does it look like?"

"Is it real?"

"Very."

"Okay, so, what, angels got their hands on some DeLoreans? How did we get here?"

Castiel sighed. "Time is fluid, Dean. It's not easy, but we _can_ bend it on occasion."

"Well bend it back! Or tell me what the hell I'm doing here!"

"I told you. You have to stop it."

"Stop _what_? Huh? What, is there something nasty after my dad?" Dean looked down at Sienna, who was rubbing her temples as if she had a headache- which she probably did.

"And you better tell me before Sienna's head explodes, or I _promise_ you I won't be very agreeable."

A car screeching to a stop had Dean and Sienna turning towards the sound- an instinct of their hunter upbringing. When they turned back, Castiel was gone.

Dean practically growled. " _Come on_. What, are you allergic to straight answers, you son of a bitch?!"

"So much for his help." Sienna muttered.

Dean ran a hand down his face, sighed, and slung an arm around Sienna's shoulders.

"Let's catch up before we lose him for good."

...

They found him just a few blocks further down the road. He was talking with a salesman at a car dealership. The salesman kept gesturing expressively to a light colored Volkswagen van- like a boring version of the Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo.

"Oh no, no, no." He heard himself saying as he pulled Sienna over to his dad.

"That's not the one you want." He told him, as he leaned against what would be his future car- his baby.

"You following me?"

"No, no." Sienna smiled slightly at him. "We were just passing by. We never got to thank you for that cup of coffee this morning. We were... a little out of it."

His dad was less suspicious when he responded.

"More than a little."

"Let me repay the favor." He knocked on the Impala. "This is the car you want."

"Oh yeah? You know something about cars?"

"Yeah, my dad taught me everything I know."

Sienna stepped up to him, her soft smile a little bit sad, and fit herself into his side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and continued.

"And this- this is a great car." He turned and lifted the hood. "327 four-barrel, 275 horses. With a little TLC, this thing is cherry."

"You know man..." John was leaning in, checking out the Impala's motor. "You're right."

"What are you buying that thing for?" Dean asked.

He grimaced. "Kind of promised someone I would."

"Over a '67 Chevy?" Sienna asked, incredulous.

John raised his eyebrows at her and looked between her and Dean once. Dean's smile only got bigger, looking at Sienna.

"I mean, come on. This is the car of a lifetime. Trust me, this thing's still gonna be badass when it's 40." He should know.

"John Winchester." His dad held his hand out and shook his before turning and doing the same to Sienna.

"Dean Van Halen."

He watched Sienna squelch an eyeroll.

"Audrey White."

John walked along the passenger side of the Impala, admired the leather seats and smiled like he was in love. Dean tilted his head as he watched him.

"I was in pretty rough shape this morning, huh?"

"No kidding." John half-laughed.

"I've been hungover before, but hey, I was getting chills in that diner."

Sienna met his gaze with a warning glare. Dean knew he probably shouldn't let on that he was John's son... _from the future_ , but he couldn't resist the urge to spend time with his dad again- a younger, more hopeful version of him than Dean ever got.

"You didn't feel any of those cold spots, did you?" He asked as John straightened up.

"Nope."

Dean tried again. "I swore I smelled something weird, too, you know. Like rotten eggs. You didn't happen to smell any sulphur by chance?"

"No."

Damn. He'd have to be more bold. "Have there been any cattle mutilations in town?"

"Okay, mister-"

"Honey!" Sienna had stepped up beside him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "That's what we get for sleeping the night at Uncle Roy's. You remember what happened last time."

Her tone implied she'd been through this before. Dean took the opportunity. He laughed lightly.

"You're right. Who knows what he did this time." He shrugged at John, trying for a sheepish look. Sienna smiled her hundred-watt smile at him.

"Why don't I go tell your salesman about your change of heart? I'm sure I can get a few hundred knocked off for you."

She winked, stretched on her toes to kiss Dean's cheek, and headed for the dealership building. Dean smiled and watched her until the door closed behind her back. He looked back over at his dad, who was watching him with a half-smug look on his face.

Dean raised a brow. "Can't believe a girl like that's with a guy like me? I know, me neither."

John snorted. "I think she keeps you out of trouble."

One corner of his mouth turned-up. It almost sounded like they were talking father to son.

"She does." He murmured.

John clicked his tongue. "I know that look. You got it bad, man."

Dean's forehead scrunched in confusion. John's expression said 'you poor man.'

"You love her."

Dean blinked a few times. They'd never mentioned the L word. He tried to form a response and stuttered three times before his dad clapped him on the shoulder in sympathy.

"Maybe you don't know it. But I know what love looks like, pal."

John opened his wallet to a polaroid of Dean's mother several years younger than his own bleary memories of her.

Before he could form a response, Sienna was flitting back over to them. She held out her hand and he took it, pulling her away from the conversation before John embarrassed him.

"Uh, listen...watch out for yourself, okay?"

John's gaze rested on Sienna for a moment and a small smile pulled up the corners of his lips.

"Yeah. Sure."

….

In another couple hours, Dean and Sienna were trailing behind John, in the newly bought Impala, in an ugly yellow Nova they'd stolen two blocks away from the dealership.

He pulled up to a two-story blue house and a blonde came racing down the lane.

"Is that your-"

"Yes." He cut Sienna off.

They watched them for a moment before Sienna spoke again.

"That's kind of sweet. Watching how it all started."

Her gaze was still on the couple, but Dean was watching her. His last conversation with his dad played through his mind on a loop. Like she could feel his gaze, she turned to look at him with her brows raised.

"What?" She murmured.

Dean surged forward, his hand wrapped around the back of her neck, and kissed her hard. Her eyelashes fluttered against his cheek and she kissed him back with just as much fever. He pulled back reluctantly, just enough for their lips to separate. She leaned forward and pecked him one more time.

Dean smiled and stared into her eyes, his throat clogged with words he didn't know how to say. She pressed her palm into his cheek, and then her head whipped back toward the couple outside.

"They're leaving."

Dean sighed and pulled himself straight. He started the car and pulled out to follow his parents.

…

They stood outside the window of a diner watching his parents as a young couple in love.

"Sammy, wherever you are...Mom's a _babe_." He paused. "I'm going to Hell. Again."

Sienna laughed at him.

"Ew, this isn't _Back to the Future_."

They watched Mary get up from her seat. Sienna pressed closer to the window. She half-gasped. "Dean I think John's going to-"

Dean was slammed into the brick wall behind him.

"Why are you following us?!"

Mary kneed him in the gut and tossed him to the ground.

"Woah, _woah_ dude!" Sienna yelled, her hands up in surrender. Mary ignored her.

She continued wailing on Dean, who dodged the best he could without fighting back.

"You've been trailing us since my house." Mary growled at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Dean tried to lie.

"Oh really?" Mary swung again.

Sienna let out a heavy sigh, and Mary was slammed against the metal door she'd thrown Dean at. Her hair blew back from her face like she was driving a convertible and she practically growled at Sienna's raised hand.

"You left me no choice, Bruce Lee." Sienna quipped at her.

Dean wanted to kiss her. Instead, he spoke.

"Okay, how about we talk about this, huh?"

"Let me go!"

Dean caught a glimpse of the charm bracelet on Mary's wrist- it sported pentagrams much like the ones they used for protection. He stared at her in shock.

"Sienna."

The wind died down and Mary relaxed against the door, watching them both warily, but obviously paying more attention to Sienna. Dean supposed she was the real threat out of the two of them.

"Are you a hunter?" Dean asked.

She stared at them, taking into consideration everything from their clothes to their skill. She looked around them nervously.

"Not here."

"Well, where?" Sienna asked.

"Go back to my house. I'll be there in less than an hour. Don't let anyone see you."

She met their gazes individually and then strode back into the diner, a smile plastered on her face as she greeted John.

"Holy Hera." Sienna panted as they walked swiftly back to their borrowed car. "Did you-"

"I had no idea." He shook his head over and over like he could clear the cobwebs from his childhood memories.

The Impala finally pulled up and Dean and Sienna dipped further into their hiding spots among the massive oak tree in her front yard. The Impala pulled away and Dean stepped hesitantly into Mary's line of view.

"Dean and Audrey, right?" She asked. "I'm not sure you should come in."

"You can trust us." Dean said. "I mean, come on, we're all hunters right?"

She threw a tense look at Sienna. "I've never seen a hunter do what _she_ can."

Sienna rolled her eyes. She was used to hunter's misjudging her.

"I'm a demigod, godling, half-blood, whatever you call it."

Mary snorted. " _Right_. I've only ever heard of one demigod, and my family's been hunting for generations."

"Well, that's more than _most_ people hear."

"What God?" She asked, skepticism clear in her voice.

Sienna sighed. "Zeus."

Thunder clapped behind her and lightning lit up the clear night sky. Mary's wide eyes slowly moved from the sky to Sienna. Sienna gave her a sheepish smile.

"Dad likes to show-off."

Mary took a step back from her and turned to Dean.

"The thing is...my dad he's a little…"

"Oh, I've _got_ to meet him." Dean pleaded.

Sienna's hand wrapped around his. He intertwined his fingers and squeezed.

"You've heard of him?" She asked, confused.

"Clearly, not enough."

Sienna tried to cover her giggle with a cough, but he thought it was pretty obvious. Mary led them into the house, regardless.

When they met Samuel, his grandfather who Sammy had been named after, the old man sat in a recliner low to the ground and didn't look up from his book.

"So, you're hunters? Well, tell me something Mr. Hunter, you kill vampires with wooden stakes or silver?"

"Neither, you cut their heads off." He answered with a sly smile. "So, did I pass your test?"

"Yep." He closed the book and looked at them. "Now get out of my house."

As soon as he said the words, he looked like he regretted it. He stared at Sienna with a hungry expression. She raised her eyebrows, and though this was his grandfather, Dean felt the urge to step in front of her- which he did. Samuel tried to play it off, but Dean had a bad feeling.

" _Dad!_ " Mary complained.

"I don't trust other hunters, Dean. Don't want their help. Don't want them around my family."

A woman's voice came from the kitchen.

"Knock it off, Samuel. He's a hunter who passed your little pop quiz and now I'm inviting them to dinner."

She walked in and took a look at the two guests.

"You're just cute as a little button!" She smiled at Sienna, who looked miffed for the comment on her short stature.

"You hungry?" She asked Dean- his favorite question.

"Starving."

"Good. I'm Deanna, you've met my husband, Samuel. Now, wash up."

He leaned down to Mary. "Samuel...and Deanna?"

Sienna was trying so hard to keep from laughing that she was biting her full bottom lip. Deanna called them to the table and Dean grabbed for her hand.

"First time in Lawrence, Dean?"

"Well...it's been awhile. Things sure have changed, I think."

"And you, Audrey?" Samuel asked, a light in his eyes Dean was trying to decipher. What was his interest in C?

She hesitated. "This is my first time."

"You working a job?" Samuel directed the question at him.

"Yeah, maybe."

"What's that mean?" The old man asked severely.

"It means I don't trust other hunters either, Samuel."

There was an uncomfortable silence at the table. Mary was the first to break it.

"So, why were you two following me and John?"

Sienna answered before he could. "We thought something was after your- your boyfriend."

"But, uh, we don't think that anymore." He finished.

Deanna almost laughed. "John Winchester mixing it up with spirits. Can you imagine?"

Mary looked at her father angrily.

"I saw that."

Samuel played innocent. "What?"

"That sour-lemon look."

"Now, hold on. John's a really, really nice...naive civilian."

They kept arguing. Dean met Sienna's look over the table. She seemed just as shocked as he was.

"So, what? You'd rather me be with a guy like this."

"What?" Dean asked with suppressed horror. "No, no, no."

Sienna raised her eyebrows at him across the table and hid a smile.

"That's enough. Both of you. We have company." Deanna chided.

"So, what about you, Sam? You working a job?" Sienna asked.

"Might be." He evaded.

Mary rolled her eyes. "He's working a job on the Whitshire Farm."

"Whitshire...why does that name sound familiar to me?" Dean asked.

"It's been all over the papers." Samuel explained. "Tom Whitshire. Got tangled up in a combine a few towns over."

"That kind of thing happens." Sienna suggested.

"Except why was he on it in the first place when his crops are all dead?" Samuel retorted.

"Demonic omens?" Dean asked.

"That's what I got to figure out."

Dean watched Sienna as she talked to Samuel. Gauging his reactions to her. He was lying low now, but Dean was sure something fishy was going on.

"Did you find anything on the web?" Dean asked, clearly not thinking straight. "...of information that you have assembled?"

It was silent. Sienna busted up laughing and the others joined her uneasily.

"What are we honey? Detectives?" She giggled.

"Electrical storms, maybe." Deanna replied amid the dying laughter. Dean sent Sienna a grateful look. He'd have been dead many times over if not for that woman's impeccable skill at improvising. He decided it was a 'Greek' thing.

"The weather service graphs should be here Friday."

Dean leaned forward. "You know it sounds to me like we may be hunting the same thing. If we go in there in numbers, we'll take care of this real quick."

"What part of 'we work alone' do you not understand, son?"

"Dean." Sienna murmured. He met her gaze and she just shook her head once while giving him an apologetic smile.

After the meal, Dean and Sienna stood in the foyer giving their thanks and shaking hands.

"Have a good night, you two, and stay safe!" Deanna cooed to the couple as Sienna shook hands with Samuel. Dean was watching the exchange closely, so he noticed Samuel's muted reaction to her touch.

When their skin touched, Samuel's pupils were blown wide and he stared at her with an intensity that had Dean bristling. He continued to shake her hand until Dean could see the tension in her shoulders. He walked over, trying not to make a scene, and rested his hands on the tops of her shoulders. He leaned around to look her in the face.

"You ready, babe?"

Her expression was uneasy, but her tone was light. "When you are."

Samuel released her hand, and Dean's took its place. Dean held Samuel's tense gaze for another minute before turning, and tugging Sienna with him, to the door.

When the door closed behind him, he pushed Sienna in front of his body and rushed her to the car they'd borrowed. He opened her door and nudged her in before he walked around to his door, started the car, and sped off.

"What was his _deal_ with me?" She asked with a little shutter.

"I don't know," Dean growled. "But it's nothing good."

…

The next morning, they'd beaten Samuel to the Whitshire farm. Dean watched Samuel's truck pull up to the door through the foyer window of the farmhouse with anxiety. He was sure Sam wouldn't be happy to see him there.

At least Sienna was walking around the grounds looking for signs of supernatural interference, rather than here with him facing his grandfather. Dean couldn't shake the feeling that Samuel's interest in his girl wasn't because she was beautiful- it was something dangerous.

Dean opened the door to the old man dressed as a reverend...just like he was dressed. Samuel looked like he was having a difficult time not clenching his teeth.

"Father." He greeted Dean. "I see you beat me here."

"The Lord is funny that way." He smiled at the widow. "Beth Whitshire, this is my associate, our senior _senior_ priest, Father Cheney."

Sam glared at him. "Please accept our deepest condolences on behalf of the county diocese." He handed her some sort of dessert. Dean turned to his brother priest.

"Mrs. Whitshire was just telling me all about Tom and how normal and ordinary things were on the day before his death."

"I see." He replied.

Dean felt a sudden, but gentle breeze against his face and was enveloped in the sweet, floral scent that clung to Sienna. His gaze swung around wildly, but covertly for her. He caught sight of her red curls peeking out from the side of a huge beige shed. She gestured to Samuel with her chin, and Dean shook his head just once. He glanced over to make sure he hadn't been seen by the people around him, and when he looked back, she was gone.

Samuel had been questioning the widow, but Dean hadn't found a single supernatural sign. He clapped Samuel on the shoulder and turned for the stairs.

"Excuse me."

Dean walked off in the direction he'd seen C. Once he was close, he noticed Mary talking to a little boy about fifty feet from where Sienna had been. For only a moment, he thought he saw a glimmer of her coppery hair by the shed.

"Charlie, would you like to tell the father here what you just told me?"

Dean looked at the kid with wide eyes. Charlie met his gaze for only a minute, then dropped his eyes and spoke.

"Dad drank sometimes. Sometimes he got rough with mom."

"And that's when the stranger came?" Mary prompted.

"I just thought he was some Bible-thumper, like you-all. He showed up about a week ago."

"Saying what?" Dean asked. Now he understood why C led him over here.

"Did I want the beatings to stop? I just thought he was crazy. I didn't think-" He paused. "And the next thing I know, dad's dead. Am I going to jail?"

"You didn't do this, Charlie." Mary reassured the kid.

"Did the stranger want something in return?"

"He didn't want anything." The kid answered.

Dean doubted that. "Come on, Chuck. He wasn't just handing out freebies, now was he?"

"He did say something about coming a-calling ten years from now and maybe he'd want something then."

Dean was really listening now. "Something like what?"

"I don't know, okay?" The kid was getting flustered. "Look, I told you! He was nuts."

Mary directed Dean away from the distraught kid, but that didn't erase the fact that the kid was going to be seeing more of the supernatural than he bargained for.

"What do you think?" She asked him.

"I think he just pimped his soul to a demon, and he doesn't even know it."

Sienna popped out of nowhere, her hand resting on the back of Dean's shoulder blade.

"There you are." He turned to her.

"Did you talk to the kid?" She asked gravely.

Dean only sighed and stared back at him. Mary pursed her lips and turned back to Charlie.

"Charlie, do you remember what the stranger looked like?"

"Yeah, uh, he's about 5'10"... white. He was kind of normal looking, really."

"Anything else?" Sienna asked, her tone gentle.

The kid stared at Sienna and his forehead scrunched in confusion.

"Well, there _was_ one thing." He paused. "It's just...the light hit your eyes in a weird way, and...for a moment, I could have sworn they were gold...only his were yellow. Pale yellow."

Dean and Sienna shared a shocked look before turning their gazes to Mary. Dean pulled her a little bit away from the kid.

"Get Samuel- we need to meet at your house immediately."

Then Sienna was at his side and they were hastily making their way across the huge yard to their poached Nova.

…

They were standing around the living room, Dean wrestling with an old map. Sienna stood at one side, and Samuel argued with him from the other.

"What do you say we just slow down and talk this thing through?" Sam suggested.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Except, you're saying there's a demon, and none of us has ever heard of a demon with yellow eyes."

Dean stood and met his eyes. "Yeah, well, _I have._ This thing killed my family."

"Just calm down, son."

"You don't get it, do you? You are in danger. We are _all_ in danger. In fact, you need to get yourself somewhere safe."

"Not until we know what we're dealing with here." Samuel was adamant.

Deanna stepped into the living room with a bowl of fruit in her hands.

"Sam's right, Dean- it could be a demon, it could be a shapeshifter, any number of things."

Dean's patience was wearing thin. "I know what this thing is! And I'm going to kill it. That's all the talking I need to do."

"You're gonna kill a demon? How?"

"There's a hunter." Sienna spoke up, her head still bent over the map. "Named Daniel Elkins. He lives in Colorado. He has Colt's gun."

" _The_ Colt." Dean added for emphasis.

"Yeah, I heard about the Colt." Sam answered. "I used to tell it to Mary as a bedtime story."

"Well, it's real." Sienna said abruptly.

Sam and Deanna met gazes.

"All right, say that it is. You got some kind of a crystal ball telling you where this demon's going to be?" Samuel's gaze hitched on Sienna with that intense look from the night before. Dean didn't have time for that. He stepped in front of her.

"Yeah, maybe I do."

He reached for his bag and pulled out John's journal. Sienna shot him a warning glare- telling him to tread lightly.

"What's this?" Sam walked to lean over the book.

"It's a list." He ignored him for a second, flipping to the page they needed. "My dad wrote down anyone he thought ever came in contact with the yellow-eyed demon- who, where, and when."

"Why?"

"'Cause the more he learned about the son of a bitch, the more he could figure out why it killed my mom."

The other two hunters turned their gazes to the floor uneasily, but Sienna was there. Staring up at him with eyes free of pity, but full of sympathy. John's words played through his head again briefly.

"Look." He pointed to an entry in the journal. "Whitshire farm. I told you that name sounded familiar."

" _Dean._ " Sienna snatched the book. He realized too late what he'd done wrong.

"Whitshire farms- that was two days ago." Samuel said incredulously. "How the Hell is that on your list?"

"Uh…" Dean stalled. "My dad could see the future." He tried.

Samuel stared at him in confusion, his gaze occasionally flitting to Sienna and back to him. Dean pressed on, hoping he could make Samuel forget his slip.

"Look at this- says he's going to hit here tomorrow night. Haleyville. That's close."

"Yeah, it's about three miles but…"

The couple shared a look Dean recognized.

"I know you guys think we're crazy."

"You seem like a really nice kid, Dean, but...yeah. You're crazy."

"Yeah, maybe." He murmured, a small smile on his face. "But I know where this bastard's gonna be and we're gonna stop it...once and for all."

Before they could leave, Dean needed one last look at his mom. They found her shuffling through disco records.

"Hey, we're, uh, shoving off. I just wanted to say bye." He gave a pitiful little wave.

"Really?" She asked, as she got to her feet. "So soon?"

"Yeah, job to do." Sienna sighed and smiled. Dean stepped further in the room.

"Hey, I wanted to tell you, you know for what it's worth, uh… It doesn't matter what your dad thinks. I like that John kid."

Sienna and Mary both chuckled. "You do?" Mary asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think you two are meant to be."

Mary smiled warmly. "Well, that's good to hear from someone who's already found who their meant to be with."

Dean's heart stuttered. He felt more than saw Sienna step to his side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulled her close and kissed her temple. Mary's smile widened at their affection.

"Can I ask you a question?" He asked suddenly. He hadn't meant to, but it just sort of slipped out. She nodded once, encouraging him.

"What's he like- John?"

Mary's forehead furrowed. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious."

She snorted. "I don't know, um, he's sweet...kind. Even after the war, after everything, he still believes in 'happily ever after,' you know? He's everything a hunter _isn't_."

Dean pursed his lips and Sienna raised an eyebrow.

"No offense."

"No, none taken." Dean shook his head. He knew what she meant. He thought about it all the time. If he and Sienna just stopped fighting...could they have a normal life? A normal love?

"Can I tell you something?" She asked. Dean nodded at her apprehensive look.

"He's gonna ask me to marry him." She chuckled. "Tomorrow, I think."

Sienna smiled conspiratorially. "Yeah?"

"Dad's gonna explode! But I don't care. I'll run away if I have to, I just...I love John and…"

Dean assessed her tentative expression. "And what?"

" _Dean._ " Sienna murmured, like he'd missed some big sign. Mary looked up at Sienna with shining eyes.

"I want to get out. This job, this life...I hate it. I want a family. I want to be safe. You know, the worst thing I can think of...the very worst thing...is for my children to be raised into this, like _I_ was."

Sienna had clasped her hand around his elbow, like he needed her support physically. He tried to concentrate on the warmth she radiated instead of the ice building in his veins at his mother's words.

"Well, I won't let it happen."

Dean nodded woodenly. "Yeah."

He looked at the floor and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Hey, you okay?" Mary asked.

"Yeah, no, I'm- I'm fine."

"Hey, m- uh, Mary, can I tell you something?"

He could feel Sienna's concerned gaze on his face, but he tried to block it out.

"Even if this sounds really weird, will you promise me that you will remember?"

"Okay." She murmured.

He felt his eyes filling with tears. "On November 2, 1983...don't get out of bed. No matter what you hear, or what you see...promise me you won't get out of bed."

She was staring between his face and Sienna's, though he knew C wasn't looking at her.

"Okay."

He wiped his face, smiled sadly, and practically bolted from the house.

Once he'd closed his car door, he moved to start the car, but Sienna grabbed his wrist before he reached the ignition. "Wait, Dean."

He looked at her curiously. She simply slid over to him and wrapped her arms around his middle, her head rested in the crook of his neck. He let out a sigh that seemed to take ten pounds off his shoulders and gave in. He held her tight, willing the dam of emotion this trip had brought onto him not to break. She ran the tips of her fingers up his neck into his hair over and over again. He felt her turn her head, but he didn't loosen his grip.

Her nose grazed the side of his throat.

"You haven't let her down, Dean." Her voice was murmured, gentle. "She would be _so proud_ of the man you are now. I promise."

Dean crushed her closer, a sob building in his chest. He didn't deserve someone like Sienna.

"How do you _do_ that?" His voice broke. "You know exactly what I'm thinking...what I need to hear."

She chuckled. "I know _you_."

He pulled back and stared down at her, both hands pulling her hair back from her face. And there it was, on the edge of his tongue. The L word. He wanted to tell her- to make sure she knew how much he cared, but the inside of his throat suddenly felt like cotton. Then he remembered his choice in Hell. What he'd done. Tears burned his eyes again. He realized it was only a matter of time before she left, too.

"Hey." She whispered and placed her palm against his cheek. "It'll be okay."

…

He'd been driving a few hours when Sienna took a nap curled up in her seat. Dean had been watching the road when Castiel poofed into existence in the back seat. He jumped.

"So what, God's my co-pilot? Is that it?"

Castiel just made a confused grimace, but otherwise stayed quiet.

"Well, you're a regular chatty Kathy." He sighed. "Tell me something- Sam would have wanted in on this. Why not bring him back?"

"You had to do this without him, Dean."

"And you don't care that he's tearing up the future looking for us right now?"

"Sam's not looking for you."

Dean tried not to let that make him angry.

"Alright, if I do this...then the family curse breaks, right? Mom and dad live happily ever after, and Sam and I grow up playing little league and chasing tail?"

Castiel paused. "You realize if you do alter the future, your father, you, Sam...you'll never become hunters. And all those people you save, they'll die."

Dean clenched his jaw. "I realize."

"And you don't care?"

"Oh, I care." He strained. "I care a lot. But these are my parents. I'm not going to let them die again. I can't. Not if I can stop it."

"And what about Sienna?"

Dean's thoughts came to a rumbling stop and his heart rate doubled in speed.

"What about Sienna?" He growled, but the angel had already disappeared.

He skipped through his conversation with the angel. How would this affect Sienna? She would still be a hunter. He let out an involuntary puff of air when he realized what this would mean. He'd never be a hunter. He wouldn't have ever met Sienna.

He almost stomped on the brakes. Could he do it? Sacrifice his love for his parents' love? He couldn't figure out whether he wanted to sob or scream.

He'd never had anyone like Sienna in his life. Was it because he was a hunter? He'd never met a woman who understood him- but maybe that's because most women don't drive cross-country killing monsters for a living. Sienna's life was influenced by actual fate, _actual deities_ that control her fate...and maybe that meant they would always meet.

He wandered aimlessly through his thoughts the rest of the drive to Colorado. The drive wasn't as long as he'd thought. Sienna still slept in her seat as he pulled up to Elkin's house. He leaned over and kissed her temple lightly before locking the doors and strutting up to the house.

He'd already broken into the safe and held the gun in his hand when the click of a shotgun barrel caught his attention.

He stood slowly and pointed the Colt. He didn't want to shoot this guy, but he had little choice. He was leaving this house with the gun one way or the other. As he talked his way out of the situation, he began to appreciate Sienna's skill for improvisation. He was getting better at it around her.

Dean almost couldn't believe it when he made it out unscathed and with the gun. He jogged to the Nova he'd stolen and crawled in his side. When he got back on the road, he almost jerked the wheel in surprise.

"What do you think you're doing with that, young man?!"

"Jesus!" He yelled. Sienna made a sleepy noise at his exclamation, but only turned toward him and continued sleeping.

In the rearview mirror he met eyes with a woman with supermodel good-looks. Dean's breath caught in his throat.

"Uh, who're you?" He asked suspiciously.

She smiled. "I have many names, but you may call me Aphrodite or Venus."

He stared open-mouthed at her through the mirror. "Like, the _goddess_?"

She raised an eyebrow, and her eyes twinkled mischievously. She made him feel like an ant.

"How many women magically appear in the backseat of your cars?"

He chuckled. "What can I do for you, your...Majesty?" He had no experience talking to Gods and he was afraid he sounded like an idiot. His fears were confirmed when she giggled at him.

"You can turn around and give that man back his weapon."

Dean clenched his jaw. "How would that help you?"

"Oh, Dean, Dean, _Dean_." She sighed.

His nerves skyrocketed when she leaned forward, placing her chin on his shoulder and sighing into his ear.

"You're about to ruin the best love story I've seen in ages. I'd argue in _centuries_."

He felt his shoulders drop and emotion clogged his throat again.

"I...I don't _want_ to." He whispered.

"Honey," She cooed. "Then _why_ are you doing it?"

"To give my family a chance...to _be a family_. It's my sacrifice...for them."

She sighed in his ear again. "Son, your mother chose her love over her family. Don't you deserve the same choice?"

Dean turned to look at her with his brow furrowed. His mother was going to run away with last-thing-from-a-hunter John. But they still wouldn't get their happy ending.

"Would your parents want you to make this sacrifice? If they knew how your life turned out, would they tell you to give up the _only_ good that ever came from it?"

Dean's breath started to come quicker. She was confusing him. Now he didn't know what he'd do. She pulled her head away.

"Make the choice that is best for _you_. I can't promise you a happy ending, Dean. Sienna is a hero and heroes are born in tragedy, but let it be _your choice_. You could start a new path for your own family." She pursed her lips.

Their attention was pulled to Sienna as she twitched and groaned. Aphrodite murmured with concern, her hand hovering inches over Sienna's face. Sienna's chest and shoulders lifted off the seat and her eyes were flickering wildly around under their lids.

"A bad one." The goddess sighed.

"Sienna?" Dean reached for her and the goddess grabbed his arm. He looked at her wildly.

"Let me help her!" He yelled.

"Darling, there is nothing you can do."

" _Please_." He begged her.

She sighed and caught his face in between her hands. "Choose wisely Dean. For all of us."

She was gone in a soft glow of light pink.

Dean pulled over. Drenched in sweat, Sienna was panting and murmuring with her eyes still closed. Dean gasped when her hands grabbed for the seatbelt and wrenched it away from her body.

"Sienna!" He cried, but he was afraid to touch her. He had no idea what was happening to her.

Her mouth dropped open in shock, it seemed, and she let out a piercing scream, like she was being tortured.

Dean couldn't let it go on. He grabbed her face in both hands and spoke directly in her ear.

"Sienna, baby, it's me. Wake up. _Please, C_. Open your eyes."

She gasped and pushed Dean back with more force than necessary, her fingers sparking in the dark night. She looked around her, her eyelashes blinking furiously as she got her bearings.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, reaching toward her.

She met his eyes and Dean's heart broke. She looked terrified. More afraid than when she almost died from centaur's poison. More afraid, even, than when the hell hounds came for him.

Her whole body trembled.

"I'm gonna be sick!" She groaned and rolled out of her seat on the side of the highway.

Dean immediately got out of the car and ran to her side. She stood, bent at the waist, throwing up their last meal. Dean pulled her hair back from her face and rubbed a hand up and down her back. "Do you wanna tell me what you saw?"

When she was finished, she shook her head rapidly. "I can't."

Dean furrowed his brow at her. She stood fully and her lower lip trembled. "I can't relive it, Dean, I don't want to go back there, I'm sorry-"

"Hey, hey, hey." He pulled her into his arms. "It's okay. You're safe, C. You don't have to do anything." He kissed her hair and ran his hands through a few times. "I won't _let_ anything happen to you."

He thought about the Colt in his holster, and a conversation with the goddess of love as she cuddled up to his side and they drove back to Kansas.

…

They arrived at Liddy Walsh's house in the midst of a fight. Sienna pointed out Samuel's truck across the street and they both jumped out and ran inside. Azazel held Mary by her throat and slammed her into a mirror hanging on the wall. Dean pointed the Colt at the demon.

"Let her go!"

Azazel turned and used Mary's body as a shield.

"Let her go!" Dean tried again.

"Where'd you get that gun?" Azazel growled.

Mary twisted out of his arms and the demon tore itself out of its host in a load black roar, escaping out the vent above their heads.

Dean lowered the gun. "Damn."

Sienna sighed. "We'll get him, Dean."

Dean sighed, too. He didn't know if that's even what he wanted anymore. He couldn't imagine a life without her.

They walked outside and Dean addressed a shaken-up Mary on the demon's interest in her.

"What else did he say to you?" He asked.

"I told you." She replied angrily. "Just that he liked me. What did he mean by that?"

Dean and Sienna shared a look. She shrugged, giving him permission to tell the truth. Samuel's footsteps stopped him.

"Liddy's a strong kid. She'll be fine. Are _you_ okay?" He asked his daughter.

"No, dad! I'm pretty far from okay! Can we go?" She stomped off toward the truck.

"Nice job in there." Samuel said begrudgingly.

"I missed the shot." Dean retorted angrily.

"Take the compliment, son. I'm saying I was wrong about you."

Dean looked back over at Mary and then pulled Sienna into his side.

"We need to talk alone."

He and Sienna marched off towards the Impala.

Back at Samuel's house, Sam and Sienna were sitting at the dining room table while Dean paced and peeked out the windows.

"We need to kill this thing now or Mary dies." Sienna told Sam.

"What? How do you know that?"

She went silent and Dean looked over. She was waiting on him for approval.

"I just do, okay?" Dean sighed. He was tired of this charade.

"When?"

"Well, maybe today, probably years from now, but it's happening- trust me."

"So, what are you some kind of psychic now, too?"

Dean stared at him, contemplating. "No."

Sienna sighed and banged her head on the table as she laid it down. "Dean, just tell the truth."

He hesitated, then took the seat next to Sienna.

"Alright, listen to me." He grabbed his dad's journal. "Now, this is going to sound a little…"

Sienna snorted through her nose.

"Actually, it's gonna sound massively, massively crazy."

"Okay." Samuel agreed.

"Mary is my mother."

Samuel stared at him like he grew Medusa hair-snakes. "Excuse me?"

"And I am your grand-son. And I know what the hell I'm talking about."

"You want to run that by me again, son?"

"Well, _grand_ -son, but…" Sienna grumbled.

"My real name is Dean Winchester. I was born January 24, 1979. My parents are Mary and John Winchester."

"I don't have to listen to this." Samuel started backing up.

Sienna's head popped up from the table.

"Why is it so hard to believe?" Her tone was cold. "Harder to believe than staring a half-blood in the face?"

He turned toward her, his expression hardening.

" _A_ half-blood?" He whispered. "More like _the_ half-blood."

She narrowed her eyes. "You know who I am."

Samuel clucked his tongue and sat back down.

"I heard a prophecy once… about a demigod _just like you_. You don't meet many children of the Gods." He chuckled. "Much less a child of Zeus." His voice dropped to a creepy whisper. "It has to be you."

Sienna's irises were blazing gold and her teeth were clenched. "Let's say I am. That prophecy doesn't reach fruition for another _forty years_. How could I be here if he wasn't telling the truth?"

Sam ground his teeth together but didn't object. Dean spoke up.

"Mary gets killed by a yellow-eyed demon in 1983. Now I think that this, what happened tonight, I think this is the moment he caught her scent. Now, if we don't catch this thing now and kill it, and it gets away... "

"Then Mary dies." Sienna finished.

"So, I'm asking you… _Please_." Dean begged.

"I don't…"

"How did I know about the Colt? How did I know about the yellow-eyed demon, huh, or where it would be?"

Samuel ran a hand down the side of his face.

"I'm not making this up, Samuel!"

"Every bone in my body is aching to put you six feet under, but...there's something about you- I can't shake it."

"Because we're telling the truth." Sienna groaned, throwing her head back in exasperation. Dean thought she looked tired- that nightmare had taken all the energy out of her. Samuel leaned towards her.

"Prove it to me."

"How?" Dean asked. "I've been trying!"

Sienna sat back in her seat, her eyes narrowed. She got to her feet in a huff.

"Come on, old man."

Samuel rubbed his hands together in anticipation and the boys followed her out the back door. She stopped on the porch, looking around the yard until she spotted a large empty flag pole standing in the front yard of some neighbor.

She skipped towards it and Dean walked over, just in case she lost consciousness. She placed a hand on the metal and began to climb. She climbed hand-over-hand as easily as she had walked to the pole. Samuel was next to him, staring with both brows raised.

"Show-off!" Dean joked.

She beamed her hundred-watt smile down at him.

"That's like eighty feet up." Samuel shook his head, stumped.

"She's like air. Has no weight when she wants to. _God_ , you should see some of the heights she's jumped from. Gives me a heart attack."

Her laugh rang out around them. And then the sky darkened and Dean pushed Samuel away from the metal pole. There was a metallic scent in the air, and then lightning struck the metal pole, conducted through Sienna's body, until it touched the ground and was absorbed by the dirt. Samuel shook his head in wonder.

"Now, I may be crazier than you son, but I believe you."

Sienna slid down the pole in circles until she hit the ground with a lithe hop on the balls of her feet.

"Thank you." She said smugly.

"Now, how do we find this bastard?" Sam asked.

"The list." Dean grumbled, put an arm around Sienna's waist in case she needed the support, and trudged back into the dining room.

"And with the Colt?" Sam asked.

Dean reached into his jacket, pulled the weapon out carefully, and laid it on the table. He turned back to the journal, Sienna reading over his shoulder.

"Let me see it." Samuel asked. Something in his tone set Dean's nerves on edge. He scooched it further away.

"Sorry, I don't let anybody hold it."

Sienna snorted and he rolled his eyes. "You don't count."

"I suppose I'm not strictly people."

Dean chuckled.

"I'm your grandfather."

"Nothing personal." Dean explained.

Samuel's gaze drifted from him to Sienna and back.

"Sure it is." He smiled creepily. "Especially when I'm the one you're trying to kill."

Samuel slammed Sienna backwards until Dean couldn't see her. He only heard the thump of her body hitting the wall and her shocked gasp.

He shoved Dean, still in the dining room chair, back into one of the bookshelves in the living room. He grunted at the impact and books rained around him.

"Sienna?" He called.

"I'm fine!" She yelled back.

He stared at Samuel, who only raised his eyebrows at him.

"Future boy, huh?"

He sauntered over, smug as all hell.

"I only know one thing that's got the juice to swing something like that. You must have friends in high places." He chuckled. "Well, other than that pretty little girl."

He stopped in front of Dean.

"So, I kill your mommy? That's why you came all this way to see little ole me?"

"Oh, I came here to kill you."

"Hey." He whispered back. "Wait a minute. If that slug marries your mommy, are you- are you one of my psychic kids?"

He leaned forward on the chair's armrests and sniffed close to Dean's ear. He had to resist the urge to gag.

"No. Not you. Maybe you got a sis. Or a bro. That's terrific. It means it all worked out. After all, it's why I'm here."

Dean was trying so hard to resist giving him any signal he was right.

"So that's what this is about- these deals you're making. You don't want these people's souls."

"No." He answered honestly. "I just want their children. I'm here to choose the perfect parents, like your mommy."

"Why her? Why any of them?" Dean whispered.

"Because they're strong. They're pure. They eat their wheaties. My own little master race. They're ideal breeders." He rolled his eyes at Dean's expression. "Oh, get your mind out of the gutter. No one's breeding with me. Though Mary- oh, and if I could use a demigod…" He lifted his eyebrows suggestively. "I'd like to make a few exceptions."

Dean strained against his bonds. He'd never wanted to kill a demon more. During his struggle, he caught a glimpse of Deanna and coppery hair swinging back behind the door frame. Sienna. Thank the Gods. Now, he needed to stall so she could enact whatever brilliant plan she'd come up with.

"So, why make the deals at all?"

"I need permission. I need to be invited in the house. I know, I know- the red tape will drive you nuts, but in ten short years, it'll all be worth it."

Deanna snuck her way into the room from the kitchen and Sienna did the same from the foyer. Azazel didn't seem to notice.

"Because you know what I'm gonna do to your sibling? I'm going to stand over that crib, and I'm gonna bleed into their mouth. Demon blood is better than ovaltine, vitamins, minerals. It makes you big and strong!"

"For what?" Dean didn't want to know, but he had to. For Sammy. "So they can lead your discount demon army? Is that your big plan?"

"Please." Azazel rolled Samuel's eyes again. "My endgame's a hell of a lot bigger than that, kid."

"Endgame? What endgame?"

"Like I'm going to tell _you_. Or those angels sitting on your shoulders." He chuckled ruefully. "Or the one that sits on your _lap_. No. I'm going to cover my tracks good."

"You can cover whatever the hell you want. I'm still going to kill you."

" _Right_. Now, that, I'd like to see."

Dean smiled at him. The girls were seconds from attacking. "Maybe not today. But you look into my eyes, you son of a bitch, 'cause I'm the one that kills you."

Again, Azazel burst out laughing. "So, you're gonna save everybody. Is that right? Is that it? Well, I'll tell you one person that you're not going to save. Your grandpappy."

He pulled a knife off Samuel's belt and turned it on himself. He looked regretful at first, but that didn't stop him from plunging the knife hilt-deep into his abdomen.

"No!" Deanna gave away her hiding spot. She ran for the Colt, but Azazel lifted her off her feet and she tumbled over the dining table. Dean struggled at his bonds while Azazel strolled over to a half-stunned Deanna. Sienna got there first, sword in hand.

He watched her thrust forward and roll back like a gladiator. She nicked his thigh and the skin there sizzled. That move pissed the demon off. He grabbed the sword by the blade, his skin sizzling as he did so, and Sienna stared wide-eyed. No monster had ever pulled _that_ move with a celestial bronze blade.

She tried to pull her arm back, but Azazel caught her up by the throat, lifted her in the air, and squeezed. "Even your little trick with the lightning wouldn't kill _me_ , half-blood."

Her sword clattered to the ground and she clawed at his hands. Dean knew she had superhuman ability, but even Sienna couldn't hold out for long with no air. Deanna ran past the demon, again diving for the Colt. Instead, the demon dropped Sienna and she shattered the glass windows of the China cabinet.

Dean almost cried out in relief at the sound of her gasping for air. At least she was alive. Deanna screamed as the demon chased after her. He caught her in the living room, and Dean heard a sharp crack. Only then had his bonds finally weakened enough to break through.

He rushed to Sienna first, but when she saw him, she motioned to the kitchen. Dean rounded the corner and pointed the Colt.

He skidded to a halt. Samuel was gone without a trace. Deanna lay on the floor, her neck at an unnatural angle. Dean swallowed.

"Mary!" Sienna coughed out hoarsely.

Dean swung back into action. As fast as he could, he ran to her side and helped pull her to her feet. He wanted to look her over- he could see Sam's handprints ringing her throat in red and purple bruises and she was breathing in shallow breaths, but they didn't have time. He pulled her arm around his neck, supported her waist, and they ran for the Nova.

On the drive, Dean was hauling ass at seventy miles an hour. Sienna held on to the bottom of her seat as coughs wracked her body. He would glance at her every thirty seconds, torn between making she was okay and stopping the demon from ruining his families' lives. Finally, he pulled up to the bridge where John would take Mary to get away.

The headlights illuminated Mary sharing a sort of explicit kiss with Samuel, John's lifeless body lying on the ground next to them. He jumped out of the vehicle before it had stopped moving.

"No!"

He aimed the Colt, but before he could get a shot out, Azazel expelled himself from Samuel's dead body. Samuel sunk to the ground. Dean stared at his mother in anguish. He didn't stop anything. He'd never even _shot_ the Colt.

"Mary?" John rasped.

He watched Mary take him into her arms and the conversation he'd shared with Aphrodite started to make sense. Mary had chosen him- because he _was_ her family. He looked back at Sienna, staring at the scene and leaning against her open car door. She met his eyes and he turned away from them, John and Mary, and took her in his arms.

"Are you okay?" She whispered.

He swallowed. "Yeah. I've lived without them before."

He caressed her cheek, then pulled her back to inspect her neck. The bruises were deep. He ran a finger over one and she winced. "I'll be okay."

He brushed the remaining glass from her hair and inspected the tons of tiny cuts all over the tops of her shoulders and her shoulder blades from the glass she'd broken through. The sound of wings had them both turning.

…..

Dean woke up in the same motel he'd originally fallen asleep at. He sat up and Sienna stirred next to him, sitting up and looking around suspiciously.

Castiel stood at the edge of the bed, staring out the window.

"I couldn't stop any of it. She still made the deal. She still died in the nursery, didn't she?"

"Don't be too hard on yourself. You couldn't have stopped it."

He stood up. "What?"

"Destiny can't be changed, Dean." Castiel turned to face him. "All roads lead to the same destination."

"Then why'd you send me back?" Dean had experienced so much pain because of this little trip. And it wasn't even necessary? He thought he'd have to give up Sienna, the only girl he'd ever loved, to let his parents live a normal, happy life.

"For the truth. Now you know everything _we_ do."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sienna asked from the bed.

Castiel motioned to the made-up bed next to theirs. Where Sam should have been sleeping.

"Where's Sam?"

"We know what Azazel did to your brother. What we don't know is _why-_ what his endgame is. He went to great lengths to cover that up."

"Where's Sam?" He demanded again.

"425 Waterman."

Dean grabbed for his coat, and Sienna's too. She was already at the door when he got there. He had almost walked out when Castiel's next words stopped him.

"You brother is headed down a dangerous road, Dean. And we're not sure where it leads. So stop it or _we_ will."

Dean looked back at him, his jaw clenched, and then walked out, slamming the door behind him.

"What the hell does that mean?" Sienna asked.

He opened the passenger side of the Impala for her. She paused and placed her hand on his cheek. He grabbed that hand, using it to pull her closer to him. They had more pressing matters, but Dean didn't care.

He leaned down and barely grazed her bottom lip with his, and her mouth turned up at the corners. "I don't know. But I'm so happy that you're with me."

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	18. Dean's Got the Creeps

Sienna was exhausted.

Physically and emotionally. After their trip through the past, Dean and she had walked in on a truly horrific scene- Sam exorcising a demon using his telepathic power- blood running from his nose, Ruby goading him on from the sidelines.

When they met Sam in their shared motel room, Sienna, knowing he'd regret it later, had to stop Dean from beating the crap out of his brother. She had conflicting emotions about Sam's powers. _She_ had powers that she'd been using most of her life- but they came from the Gods. Sam's powers came from Hell. She supposed it wasn't the same, but she didn't feel the betrayal so clear on Dean's face. With tension so high it had been smothering them, they hunted the rugaruru in Missouri where she practically pulled them off each other every half hour.

After the Missouri hunt, though, the brothers had come to a better understanding of each other's positions, but Sienna still felt the need to sit in between them.

Then their last hunt, a shapeshifter in Pennsylvania, became a little too 'Hollywood' for Sienna's tastes, but she still giggled every time she remembered rescuing Dean, who was strapped to a Frankenstein-esque table clad in lederhosen.

On top of all these daily stressors, she had an unspeakable vision and her and Raina's constant search for Alexander to worry about, too.

She needed a beer. Or six.

She sighed and went back to her text message. She and Raina had half-blood troops scouting all across the country, so a few times a day someone was texting or calling to check-in. This time it was Jack, saying he'd killed a basilisk in Vermont but otherwise had found no sign of the evil son of Hades.

 _Good work. Keep searching._

She re-read the short message, hit send, and closed the phone. Now her, Sam, and Dean were driving through Colorado on a possible hunt Bobby had set up for them.

They drove straight to a motel in the center of town, unloaded their things, threw on a change of clothes and met back at the Impala ready to question the town coroner. The boys looked dapper dressed in professional suits and she donned one of her very few skirts. Sienna's thoughts flitted through her mind without pause until her attention was captured by the coroner unzipping a black body bag.

"Agents, meet Frank O'Brien."

"He died of a heart attack, right?" Sam asked of the fairly young deceased.

The coroner nodded. "Three days ago."

"Hmm." Sam speculated, while he read from the files he had in his hand. "But, O'Brien was forty-four years old and, according to this, a marathon runner."

"Everybody drops dead sooner or later. It's why I got job security."

"Charming." Sienna muttered.

Dean picked up the interrogation. "Yeah, but Frank kicked it here. Now, just yesterday, two perfectly healthy men bit it in Maumee. All heart attacks. You don't think that's strange?"

"Sounds like Maumee's problem to me." The coroner got defensive. "Why's the FBI give a damn anyway?"

"We just want to see the results of Frank's autopsy." Sienna requested politely, yet firmly.

"What autopsy?" He asked.

Dean stepped forward and smiled threateningly. "The one you're going to do."

The coroner raised his eyebrows, but at Dean's look, didn't question him. While they all waited for him to begin, Sienna checked her phone again. This time it was Raina.

 _Might need your help in Colorado_.

Sienna raised her brows. That was the first time she'd directly asked for her help since New York. And they didn't even _know_ she was currently in Colorado. What a strange coincidence. That made Sienna's stomach tighten with anxiety. She didn't run across coincidences very often in her line of work.

Dean caught her look and raised a brow. She shook her head. If they needed her help, she knew Dean wouldn't be happy about her leaving. She thought of ways to break the news as the coroner set to work, Sam and Dean leaning over the metal slab the body laid on. After another minute, she joined them.

"Hey, hand me those rib-cutters, will you?" He asked her.

She scrunched her nose in disgust, but handed them over.

Dean scrutinized the body and gestured to his left hand. "Is that from a wedding ring? I didn't think Frank was married."

"Ain't my department." The old man answered, though Dean wasn't talking to him.

"Any idea how he got these?" Sam asked, referring to the open wounds on his hands.

"You know what, when you drop dead you usually tend to drop. Body probably got scraped up when it hit the ground...huh..."

"What?" Sam asked.

"I-I can't find any blockages in any of the major arteries."

Sienna averted her eyes when he stuck his hand through the body's chest, ripping the heart out. She watched Dean squirm and gag instead.

"Heart looks pretty damn healthy. Hold that for a second, would you?" He asked, plopping the heart into Dean's hands. Sienna bit back a laugh at Dean's face.

He kept working in the body, causing blood to squirt out in a stream that hit Sam directly in the face. Sienna covered her mouth with a hand in surprise.  
"Sorry...spleen juice."

…

They sat and waited impatiently at the local police station, Dean on her one side and Sam on the other. Finally the chief emerged from his office, only to yell at the deputy for not bothering him about their presence sooner. The hunters followed him into his office reluctantly.

He stopped them at the door. "Shoes off."

They all exchanged glances. Surely, he was joking. But his face was as serious as a heart attack. Sienna gave Dean a look like _I can't believe this_ , and they took off their shoes.

Once inside, the chief greeted them each with a handshake. "Al Briton. Good to meet you."

Before speaking, he squirted an obviously unnecessary amount of hand sanitizer in his hands and rubbed. Sienna lifted a brow. This was turning into a peculiar day very quickly.

"So, what can I do for Uncle Sam?"

Sam took the lead. "Well, we're looking into the death of Frank O'Brien. We understand some of your men found his body."

"They did." The chief looked down. "Me and Frank- we were friends. Hell, we were gamecocks."

Dean wheezed out a laugh that he instantly squelched.

"That's our softball team's name. They're majestic animals."

Dean looked like a deer in headlights, his mouth forming words he didn't say, until the police chief continued.

"I knew Frank since high school. To be honest, I just this morning got up the strength to go see him. Frank was...he was a good man."

"Yeah, big heart." Dean agreed.

Sam and Sienna both turned to glare at him. Sienna took up the conversation before Dean dug them into a hole.

"Before he died, did you notice Frank acting strange? Maybe scared of something?"

"Oh hell yeah." He leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him on the desk. "Real jumpy."

"You know what scared him?" Sienna asked using her most gentle inflection.

He sighed. "No. Wouldn't answer his phone. Finally I sent some of my boys over to check on him, and, well, you know the rest."

The chief grabbed for his hand sanitizer while going off on a coughing jag. Sienna's forehead scrunched up and she met gazes with Dean who wore the same confused expression.

"So why the feds give a crap? You don't _really_ think there's a case here."

"No, no." Dean answered. "It's probably nothing. Just a heart attack.

Dean, Sienna, and Sam hurried down the sidewalk next to the police station towards the Impala.

"No way that was a heart attack." Dean started the conversation.

"Definitely no way." Sam agreed. "Three victims, all with those same red scratches, all went from jittery to terrified to dead within forty-eight hours."

"Something scared them to death?" Sienna suggested.

Sam sighed. "Alright, so what can do that?"

"What can't?" Dean scoffed. "Ghosts, vampires, chupacabra. It could be a hundred things."

"So, we make a list and start crossing things off." Sam said.

"Well, who's the last person to see Frank O'Brien alive?" Sienna asked Sam, who typically remembered the little facts of their cases.

"Uh, his neighbor, Mark Hutchins."

"Hang on." Dean pulled them both to a stop on the sidewalk. "I don't like the looks of those teenagers down there."

Sienna and Sam both whipped their heads around to stare where he pointed. Three teenagers on bikes were hanging around in front of the Impala. Sienna had eaten more intimidating things for breakfast. They turned back to him at the same time with identical looks of confusion.

"Let's walk this way." Dean grabbed Sienna's hand and pulled her behind him across the street. She shrugged and shook her head at Sam as Dean pulled her past him.

….

Sienna and the boys didn't waste any time. They hurried over to the only lead they had- the home of Mark Hutchins, the neighbor of Frank O'Brien.

The three hunters sat on a thread-bare couch, most likely from the eighties, in a dingy living room surrounded by caged reptiles and facing the chubby and balding Mr. Hutchins, who caressed a large ball python wrapped around his body. Sienna had wrinkled her nose delicately at the dingy couch, but sat perched on the end anyway.

"Tyler and Perry. Just like Aerosmith." Hutchins remarked to Sienna's displeasure. The boys were always using the most ridiculous names. She sent sideways looks at them both individually from her seat in between them.

"Yeah, small world." Sam covered. "So, the last time you saw Frank O'Brien?"

Sienna was trying to pay attention to the witness, but she had a bad feeling. Dean was staring around the room almost twitching at the assortment of reptiles. Sure, she supposed, they weren't exactly cuddly, but they'd killed much, much worse. She pinched his leg and he snapped back to attention.

"Monday. He was watching me from his window." Hutchins answered. "I waved at him, but he just closed the curtains."

"Hmmm. Did you speak to him recently? Did he seem different? Uh, scared?" Sam continued.

"Oh, totally. He was freaking out."

Sienna felt Dean's small jump after a frog croaked from its cage. She and Sam stared at him, Sam with an eyebrow cocked up. He looked as if he was trying to maintain his composure.

"Do you know, uh- do you know what scared him?" Dean asked.

"Oh, yeah, witches."

Sienna raised both brows. "Witches?"

The three hunters shared a look.

"Well, the _Wizard of Oz_ was on TV the other night, right?" Hutchins said, decimating all hope of a real lead. "He said that green bitch was totally out to get him!"

Sienna narrowly stopped herself from literally face-palming.

"Anything _else_ scare him?" Sam tried again.

"Everything else scared him- Al-Qaeda, ferrets, artificial sweetener, those Pez dispensers with their dead little eyes- lots of stuff."

"So, tell me, what was Frank like?" Sienna asked just trying to get anything they could use.

Hutchins squinted. "I mean, he's dead, you know? I don't want to hammer him but he got better."

"He got better?" Sam asked skeptically.

"Well, in high school, he was- he was a dick. Like a bully. I mean, he probably taped half the town's butt-cheeks together, mine included."

She immediately sent a sideways glare at Dean who squelched his laugh within seconds.

"So he pissed a lot of people off." Dean said. "You think anyone would have wanted revenge?"

Hutchins pursed his lips. "Well I don't...Frank had a heart attack, right?"

"Just answer the question, sir." Sienna half-demanded. She was losing taste for this living room rather quickly.

"I don't think so. Like I said, he got better after what happened to his wife."

Sienna raised an eyebrow. "His wife?" She met gazes with the other two. "So he _was_ married."

Hutchins nodded. "She died about twenty years ago. Frank was really broken up about it."

Dean made a movement with his head that caught Hutchins attention and he chuckled.

"Don't be scared of Donny." He caressed the snake on his belly with one hand. "He's a sweetheart. It's Marie you've got to look out for. She smells fear."

Sienna heard a rustle and looked over her shoulder. A yellow boa constrictor was making its way over the top of the couch. She peeked at Dean, saw he wasn't aware of her, and tried to hide a smile. Finally, he heard something, and turned.

Sienna shoved her fist halfway in her mouth to keep herself from bursting out laughing. He'd instantly gasped and moved a good foot away from the couch. Sienna caressed the snake a couple times before joining Dean in leaving.

….

Sienna got dropped off at the motel they were staying at while the boys broke into the county clerks office and O'Brien's house. She'd curled up on her bed with Sam's laptop, searching for any lore that specified fright as the cause of death. She'd come up with nothing.

Her cell phone chimed from the kitchenette counter.

She sighed, crawled out of the bed and flipped open the phone. Raina again.

 _Need you asap._

Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. Could the boys handle this without her? She threw her head in her hands- she was _not_ looking forward to the tantrum Dean would throw about her departure.

The boys walked in in an argument.

"Hey!" She yelled. They shut up. Dean squeaked a small shriek. She looked at him incredulously. "What are you fighting about?" She finally asked.

"This." Sam said. And he pointed the EMF reader he'd made out of a walkman at Dean. It lit up immediately and emitted a loud high-pitched whir.

"Oh shit." She sighed.

….

The next morning, she and Sam went for donuts, telling Dean repeatedly to just stay in the room. They were only downstairs. She ordered a box while Sam talked on his phone with Bobby. He grabbed the box for her and they headed out for the motel. Instead, she stopped Sam on the sidewalk. The Impala's lights were on, and music was blaring from the speakers.

As they approached the car, Sienna chuckled as they watched Dean mimic the drums on the song he was blasting. Sienna poked her head in the window suddenly.

"Ah!" Dean jumped, almost whacking his head on the roof of the car. Sienna laughed. She knew his condition would end in death if they didn't stop it, but it was cracking her up. She scared him so easily.

He jumped out of the car. "Dude, look at this." He shoved his arm out at Sam. The smile slipped off Sienna's face as she examined the scratched on Dean's arm. The same as the other victims. Her stomach tightened apprehensively. She kept her hand on his arm and, without looking at her, he drew her into his body. She took comfort in the familiarity.

"I just talked to Bobby." Sam told him.

"And?" Dean took the box of donuts.

"Um, well you're not going to like it."

He threw them in the car. Sam and Sienna shared a concerned look.

"What?" Dean asked.

"It's ghost sickness."

"Ghost sickness?" He leaned against the Impala, pulling Sienna back with him. "God, no."

"Yeah." Sam agreed solemnly.

"I don't even know what that is." Dean shrugged.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Okay, some cultures believe that certain spirits can infect the living with a disease, which is why they stopped displaying bodies in houses and started taking them to funeral homes."

"Okay, okay, get to the good stuff." Dean said.

"Symptoms are, you get anxious and scared, then really scared and then your heart gives out. Sound familiar?"

"Yeah, but Sam we haven't seen a ghost in weeks." Sienna said.

"Well, I doubt he caught it from a ghost." Sam said turning to her. "Look, once a spirit infects that first person, ghost sickness can spread like any sickness. Through a cough, handshake, whatever. It's like the flu. Now, Frank O'Brien was the first to die, which means he was probably the first infected. Patient zero."

"Our very own outbreak monkey." Dean sighed.

"Get this- Frank was in Maumee over the weekend. Softball tournament. Which is where he must have infected the other two victims."

"Were they gamecocks?"

"Cornjerkers."

"So, ghosts infected Frank, he passed it onto the other guys, and Dean got it from his corpse?" Sienna asked.  
"Right." Sam answered.

"So, what, now I have forty-eight hours before I go insane and my heart stops?" Dean appealed to Sam, his fingers digging harder in her skin.

Sam looked sheepish. "More like twenty-four."

"Super." Sienna grumbled.

"Well, why me? Why not you? You got hit with the spleen juice!" Dean complained.

Sam looked sheepish again and he stared at the ground. "Uh, you see, Bobby and I have a theory about that, too. Turns out all three victims shared a certain, uh...personality type."

Dean cocked a brow.

"Frank was a bully." Sam continued. "The other two victims- one was a vice principal, the other was a bouncer."

"Okay?" Dean was shaking his head slightly, obviously wishing Sam would get out with it.

"Basically, they were all dicks." Sienna guessed.

Dean looked affronted. "So, you're saying I'm a dick?"

Sienna bit her lip to keep from laughing. Sam shook his head.

"No, no, no, it's not just that. All three victims used fear as a weapon, and now this disease is just returning the favor."

Confused, Dean grimaced. "I don't scare people."

"Certainly not." Sienna agreed. Dean glared at her sideways.

Exasperated, Sam laughed. "Dean, all we do is scare people."

"Okay, well, then you're a dick, too."

"Apparently not." Sam said with pleasure. Sienna laughed.

"How do we stop it?" She asked, still giggling.

Sam sighed. "We gank the ghost that started it. We do that, the disease should clear up."

"You thinkin' Frank's wife?"

Sam shrugged. "Who knows why she killed herself, you know?"

Sienna turned to Dean. "Hey, what are you doing waiting out here, anyway?"

Looking slightly embarrassed, Dean explained. "Well, our room's on the fourth floor."

She raised her eyebrows and rolled her hand as if to say _Go on_.

"It's...it's high."

She and Sam held back laughs before Sam turned to leave. "I'll see if they can move us to the ground floor."

"Thank you." Dean called meekly.

As Sam walked away, Dean scanned each side of the road and tugged Sienna in front of him before shoving her through the driver's side door.

"Ouch! _Dean_ , my Gods!" She laughed. " _I'm_ not scared."

She scooted to the passenger side so he could climb in. He immediately locked his door, then reached over her to lock hers. She pressed her lips into a flat line to keep from laughing. He glared at her.

Then he stared at her harder, a strange look coming over his face. He scrunched his eyes shut and his breath started to come in little pants. She looked around for the culprit of his fear. When she didn't find anything, she turned back to him to find his eyes still shut.

"What is it? Dean?"

He jumped and gasped when her hand connected with his shoulder. She pulled away immediately.

She tried to say something but her mind was momentarily stumped.

"Not- you're not afraid of _me_?" She asked incredulously.

He tried to say something but nothing came out but a puff of air. She laughed again.

" _Why_?"

He mumbled "I can't say" in a sort of wail.

She put her hands up in surrender, though he couldn't see her. "Okay, okay, I'll just go help Sam."

She moved to get out of the car, but his hand came down on her wrist before she unlocked her door. "No! I don't want you to go."

She smiled at his closed eyes and frustrated expression. "Dude, you literally can not even look at me." She couldn't keep the humor out of her voice.

"I-"

She cut him off. "It's _okay_. We'll get you fixed up and I can make fun of you for this properly."

She leaned in to kiss his cheek and he jumped at her touch. She giggled against his skin and climbed out of the car.

….

She and Sam had set out to buy a couple groceries after doing more research and digging, deciding it was best not to leave Dean alone with Sienna, lest she scare him to death.

As they checked out, she appealed to Sam. "I just don't understand why _I'm_ scaring him."

Sam chuckled quietly.

"I can think of a few reasons."

She gave him a withering look. "Oh come on, I may have some major mojo, but I've never hurt him, or you... _even when it was justified_."

Sam laughed out loud. They were walking down the street back to their motel room where Dean was hopefully safely locked away.

"C, you honestly can't think of another reason he'd be scared of you?"

She thought about it. "No." She grumbled. "I'm perfectly adorable."

" _Exactly_." Sam laughed.

She stopped and thought about that. Hmmm.

They arrived at their door and Sam slid the key through the lock. Immediately in front of the door lay the clock that was hung on the wall before they'd left. Sienna peered into the room at Dean sitting on the couch with a beer.

"Everything alright?"

He sat up straighter when he saw her and stumbled through his words. "Uh, yeah-yup, no its good. Just peachy."

She made eye contact with Sam and the corners of her mouth lifted in a small smile.

"Find anything?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Sam took over. "Jessie O'Brien's body was cremated, so I'm pretty sure she's not our ghost."

Sienna sat on the end of the couch, far enough away so as not to scare him. She watched him scratch at his arm as he listened to Sam. She knocked his hand away from his arm.

"Hey, quit picking at that."

Sam turned a concerned gaze on him. "How you feeling?"

Dean hit him with a glare. "Awesome. It's nice to have my head on the chopping block again. I almost forgot what that feels like. It's freakin' delightful."

"We'll keep looking." Sam told him in exasperation.

He started coughing and leaned forward. "Dean?" Sienna slid closer.

"You okay? Dean?" Sam was asking.

He sucked in air as if he were choking and darted to the sink in the tiny kitchenette. Sienna and Sam both followed, Sienna's heart pounding in her chest. He finally coughed something out into the sink. Dean leaned in and, washing it off with water, grabbed it. Sienna's hand hovered around Dean- she was stuck between wanting to help him and not wanting to make things worse.

Sam shook his head. "We've been completely ignoring the biggest clue we have- you."

Dean examined the small strip of wood in his hand and grimaced. "I don't want to be a clue."

Sam was pacing excitedly.

"The abrasions, this- the disease it's trying to tell us something!"

"Tell us what- wood chips?" Sienna asked.

Sam smiled and took her by the shoulders. " _Exactly_."

….

Sam's revelation had them in the Impala, just arriving at the town's Lumber Mill on the outer edge of the city. The ground was littered with dirt and wood chips, and Sienna sat staring at the large brightly colored cranes and ladders ringing the giant metal warehouse-like buildings. They all jumped out of the Impala, Dean looking stricken.

"I'm not going in there."

"Look, we don't know what could be lurking out here waiting for you, Dean. You're going in."

Dean scowled, grabbed a hidden bottle of whisky from the Impala, and drank for a solid ten seconds.

"Let's do this!"

Sam and Sienna just stared at him mutely, rolling their eyes. As he unlocked the trunk, he looked up at the formidable building.

"It's a little spooky, isn't it?"

They didn't answer him.

Sam tried handing Dean a silver gun with a white handle- one of his favorites.

"Oh, I'm not carrying that."

They both stared at him incredulously.

"It could go off."

He grabbed something and turned back to them. "I'll man the flashlight."

Sam grimaced. "You do that."

Dean smiled, cute and innocent, and Sienna laughed softly again. "I might miss this Dean a little."

They approached the main building first, Sienna in front, Dean sandwiched in the middle and Sam taking up the rear. They crept, Sam and Sienna with guns trained on their surroundings. As they walked, Sam's walkman-turned-EMF reader started warbling in his pocket. He stopped and pulled it out, aiming it in random directions.

Sam pointed it away from Dean, but it went off regardless.

"EMF isn't going to work with me around, is it?"

Sam rolled his eyes in irritation. "You don't say."

"Sam." Sienna sighed and pointed to the ground ahead of them. He bent forward and picked up what appeared to be a ring wrapped around burlap.

"To Frank, Love Jessie," Sam read out. "Frank O'Brien's ring."

"What the hell was Frank doing here?"

"No idea."

Sam pocketed the ring and they continued with their search. After another couple minutes down a different corridor, they heard metal rattle ahead of them. They stopped momentarily then followed the noise. They came upon a room full of old lockers for workers. Something seemed to be inside one of them- the rattling was coming from it.

Dean's eyes popped out wide and he flicked the flashlight from Sam to the locker and back. Sam leaned toward the locker door and Sienna moved so that her gun was trained on the locker door. Mouthing _on three_ , Sam moved to grab the handle.

He pulled open the door and a cat meowed- then her senses were obliterated by anything other than the girlish scream coming out of Dean. She turned to him in shock, her gun pointed at the ground. She watched the cat slink out of the room behind Dean.

She glanced at Sam, who was also staring, dumbstruck and with his gun hanging down his side, at Dean. Finally through screaming, Dean bent at the waist and panted. He raised himself back up and shook his head, grinning.

"That was scary!"

Neither of them said anything, they just walked out past him to search another room. He caught back up with them quickly and flashed the flashlight around at the miscellaneous objects strung along the floors and desks of what once must have been an office. They all took a side and searched alone. Sienna looked over her shoulder every minute or so to find Dean. Her anxiety about his condition was only getting worse in the mill.

She watched him surge to a desk and shuffle a couple papers before staring intently at something. She turned to go to him.

"Hey," he called. "This is, uh...this is Frank's wife."

Sienna peered at it over his shoulder. It was a sketch, much like the picture of her in the missing person's report they'd found.

"Plot thickens." Sam remarked as he walked over to them.

"Yeah, but into what?" Dean asked.

He tore the paper from the desk. Noise suddenly broke the silence, causing Dean to let out a small scream, as various parts of machinery around them sprung to life. Dean peered around nervously, and then froze, wide-eyed, on one corner of the room. Sienna and Sam turned that direction. Sienna's gun shot to her chest as she caught sight of the ghost, aiming the barrel at his back.

The spirit appeared as a bald, slightly heavy man in a jumpsuit, his back currently to the hunters. Sam took a couple of steps toward the ghost. Sienna positioned herself between the spirit and Dean, following a few steps behind Sam.

"Hey!" Sam yelled.

The spirit's shoulders twitched as if Sam had startled him. She was completely focused on what was in front of her, so when she was tugged backward by her waist, she stumbled and found herself being pulled out the door.

"Wha-"

She turned around and saw Dean trying to run for the exit, pulling her with him.

"Dean!" She complained, digging her heels into the dirt.

"Please! You're going to get hurt!" He yelled. She groaned and thrashed. She knew he was being ridiculous, but some small part of her soared at the fact that this terrified Dean was still trying to protect her.

" _You're_ going to get hurt if you don't let me go!"

He let go immediately. She huffed, grabbed his face and kissed him square on the mouth. She pulled back and Dean seemed momentarily dazed.

"Now run to the car and stay there, you hear me? RUN."

Her tone had him breathing shallowly and he turned and sprinted out the open door.

She ran back to Sam as the ghost finally turned, revealing a squat face riddled with cuts and bruises. As he came at them, Sam shot a round through his chest and he vanished. They both panted as they waited for their hearts to slow down.

"Well…" Sam said, digging something out of his pocket and pressing it into her hand. "We've got the right place."

She looked down at her hand- Sam had found an employee ID card with a picture of a man who quite resembled the ghost they'd just seen. She nodded.

"Good." She sighed. "Now let's go make sure your brother didn't ditch us here."

….

As soon as they were back in town, the hunters donned their best clothes and took to the police station in search of records about the latest ghost they'd seen.

"This is the Garland file." A young deputy handed Sam the file, casting a fleeting glance at Dean. "Is he...drunk?"

She had to admit Dean didn't look great. He was sweating, he kept looking around nervously, and he scratched the rash on his forearm every thirty seconds. Sam looked back at Dean and sighed.

"No. Deputy, according to this, Luther Garland's cause of death was physical trauma. What does that mean?"

"The guy died twenty years ago...before my time. Sorry."

"Then can we talk to the sheriff?"

"Um, he's out sick today."

Sienna's scrunched her forehead. Sick? The guy who practically took baths in hand sanitizer?

"Well, if you see him will you have him call us?" Sam finished irritably. "We're staying at the Bluebird. Mind if I take this?"

He held up the file, the deputy shook his head and Sienna hooked her arm though Dean's to drag him outside.

"You know what?" Dean called back to the station. "You're awesome!"

"Shhhhhh!" Sienna chastised him.

….

"Deep breaths, Dean." Sienna whispered to him as the three hunters walked down the dreary hall of an assisted living facility- the residence of Garland's last known relative.

It was becoming a full-time job to keep Dean calm. So far, he'd jumped at the appearance of an old lady and tried to run because he was afraid of using fake badges. She couldn't wait until this was over.

They found the cafeteria and walked to the only occupant inside- a small, wizened man with dark, lank hair resting with his eyes closed in a wheelchair.

"Mr. Garland?" Sam asked. "Hi, I'm agent Tyler, and these are agents Perry and Wood with the FBI. We'd like to ask you a few questions about your brother Luther."

The old man turned his head inquisitively at them. "Let me see some ID."

"Certainly." Sienna answered, trying not to let Dean look like a teenager getting carded at the door of their first club. They pulled out their fake badges and handed them over good naturedly.

She resisted the urge to facepalm. Dean looked guilty as hell when Mr. Garland stared into his face.

"Those are real." He tried. It was too late to stop him. "I mean, who would pretend to be an FBI agent- that's just nutty."

Sienna stomped on his foot with her heel. He grunted a little, and luckily stopped talking.

"What do you want to know?" Mr. Garland asked, handing them back their badges.

Sienna took lead. "Well according to this, your brother Luther died of physical trauma."

Mr. Garland scoffed angrily. She raised a brow.

"You don't agree."

"No, I don't."

"Well then, what would you call it?"

"Don't matter what an old man thinks."

"Mr. Garland," She replied gently. "We're just trying to get the truth on your brother. Please."

He reached across the table and grabbed one of the papers they had brought in his file.

"Everybody was scared of Luther. They called him a monster. He was too big, too mean looking. Just too...different. Didn't matter, he was the kindest man I ever knew. Didn't matter he'd never hurt no one."

Mr. Garland took a deep, sorrowful breath and continued.

"A lot of people failed Luther. I was one of them. I was a widower with three young-ins and...I told myself there was nothing I could do."

"Mr. Garland, uh…" Sam unfolded the drawing of O'Brien's wife and slid it across the table. "Do you recognize this woman?"

He picked it up. "It's Jessie O'Brien." He paused. "Her man, Frank, killed Luther."

The hunters shared a look.

"How do you know that?" Sienna asked.

"Everybody knows." Garland told them matter-of-factly. "They just don't talk about it. Jessie was a receptionist at the mill. She was always real nice to Luther, and he had a crush on her. But Frank didn't like it. And when she went missing, Frank was sure that Luther had done something to her. Turns out the old gal killed herself, but Frank didn't know that. They found Luther with a chain wrapped around his neck. He was dragged up and down the stretch outside that plant 'til he was past dead."

"O'Brien was never arrested?" Dean asked, his voice rough with outrage. Garland clenched his jaw.

"I screamed to every cop in town. They didn't want to look into Frank. He was a pillar of the community. My brother was just the town freak."

"You must have hated Frank O'Brien." Sam said.

"I did for a long time, but...life's too short for hate, son. And Frank wasn't thinking straight. His wife had vanished. He was terrified. A damn shame he had to put Luther through the same, but...that's fear. It spreads and spreads."

Walking out of the building, Dean pointed to his arm. "Now we know what these are. Road rash, and I'm guessing Luther swallowed some wood chips when he was being dragged down that road."

"Makes sense." Sam answered.

"You're experiencing his death in slow motion." Sienna agreed. Dean pulled her back against his chest and squeezed her from behind, nuzzling her hair.

"Yeah, well, not slow enough, huh?" Dean murmured in her hair and then stepped back to open her door for her. She smiled tentatively at him while taking her seat and the ends of his lips turned up in response.

"I say we burn some bones, get me healthy." He said as he slouched to the other side of the Impala.

"Dean...it won't be that easy." Sam said reluctantly.

"No, no it'll be that easy." He argued. "Why wouldn't it be that easy?!"

"Luther was road-hauled. His body was ripped to pieces. He was probably scattered all over that road. There's no way we're going to find all the remains."

Sienna had leaned out her window to hear. She saw the defeat on Dean's face as he replied.

"You're kidding me."

"Look," She said softly. "We'll just have to figure something else out."

Dean was visibly flustered, almost pacing. He looked as if he might bolt down the street.

"What are we doing?!" He asked them.

Sam and Sienna shared a look.

"We're hunting a ghost." Sam answered unnecessarily slowly.

"A ghost- exactly! Who does that?!"

Sienna raised her eyebrows. She had perched in the window, her arms on the top of the car and her legs dangling onto her seat.

"Us." She answered.

"Us!" He nodded feverishly. "Right. And that- that is exactly why our lives suck. I mean, come on! We hunt monsters! What the hell?! I mean, normal people, they see a monster and they run. But not us- no, no, no- we search out things that want to kill us! Or eat us! You know who does that? Crazy people! We…" He gestured to all three of them. "Are insane!"

Sam and Sienna were leaned together, eyes wide, with small grins on both of their faces, watching him rant.

"You know, and then there's the bad diner food, and then the skeevy motel rooms, and then a truck-stop waitress with a bizarre rash! I mean, who wants this life, guys?! Seriously?! Do you actually like being stuck in a car with me eight hours a day every single day? I mean, I drive too fast, and I listen to the same five albums over and over and over again and I-I sing along. I'm annoying, I know that and you-"

He pointed to Sam, who raised his eyebrows.

"You're gassy! You eat half a burrito, and you get toxic! And you!"

He turned on Sienna, who smiled wider and raised her brows, too. Dean stared at her before groaning loudly and smacking his head hard on the top of the car.

"You know what?"

He tossed the keys to Sam.

"You can forget it."

He started walking away and Sienna scrambled to get out of her window.

"Whoa, Dean, where are you going?" Sam asked.

He stopped for a moment. "Stay away from me, Sam! 'Cause I'm done with it! I'm done with the monsters and-and the hellhounds and the ghost sickness and the damn apocalypse! I'm out, I'm done. Quit."

He started to walk away again. She had finally got herself out of the car and was jogging up to him, but Sam held her back by her arm.

"Dean!" She called.

Her voice stopped him. He turned back around and strode three steps closer to her. He narrowed his eyes at Sam and then stared into her eyes. He looked as if he was going to say something three times. His eyes were tortured. Finally, he let out a mix between growl and wail and ran from them. Sienna went to follow, but Sam's grip didn't loosen.

"Sam!" She growled.

"I'm sorry, C," And he did sound apologetic, "But it's going to be hard enough killing this thing without Dean. I need you, or he dies."

She huffed because she knew he was right- and that never felt good.

….

Sam opened the door to their motel room and gasped slightly.

"Dean. How the hell did you get here?"

"Ran?" Dean answered with a slight inflection so the word sounded like a question.

Sienna barreled past him. She threw her arms around his middle and squeezed tight, burying her face in his chest. His body was as taut as piano wire, but he leaned his chin on her head and hugged her back gratefully. She pulled out of his arms.

"You're an idiot."

"I know." He grumbled. "What do we do now? I got less than four hours on the clock."

No one answered.

"I'm gonna die, C."

"No, you're not." Sam said solemnly.

But Dean didn't seem to hear him. He stared at Sam in horror.

"Back?" Dean whispered.

The two others stared at him, completely dumbfounded. Dean stood and started hyperventilating, all the while staring at Sam. He threw himself in front of Sienna suddenly.

"You get out of my brother, you evil son of a bitch!"

Sam peered around him at Sienna. Then Dean collapsed to the wall as if he'd been thrown.

"Dean!" Sienna yelled. Her head whipped toward Sam. "Ghost sickness cause hallucinations?"

"Looks like it." Sam replied grimly.

Sienna was on her knees in front of Dean, who was choking and sputtering against the wall.

"Dean!" She felt the gold in her eyes prickle. She forced his head up.

"Dean look at me."

He did as he was told, still struggling. Then he blinked rapidly and she felt the tension flood out of him. She relaxed her shoulders and wore the ghost of a smile.

"Hey." She murmured quietly, brushing a thumb along his cheek. "Are you okay?"

He groaned lightly and she ran a hand up and down his back. Apparently defeated, he hung his head on her shoulder.

"Fix me." He cried.

"Oh, babe." She crooned and laid her head on his, running a couple of fingers around the outline of his cheek. She gave Sam a suffering look. He mouthed _I know_ , and grabbed for his cell phone.

….

The next morning, they were met by Bobby at the lumber mill.

"Where's Dean?" He asked first thing.

"Home, sick." Sam said sarcastically.

"So, have his hallucinations started yet?"

"Yeah, a few hours ago." Sienna piped up. Bobby took one look at her face and grimaced.

"Sorry kid. We'll figure this out, though."

He seemed like he wanted an answer, so she nodded. She didn't really have anything to say.

"How we doin' on time?"

"Well, we saw the coroner at about eight am Monday morning so...just under two find anything?"

"This encyclopedia of spirits-" He gestured to the book in his hand. "Dates to the Edo Period."

Sienna opened it to a random page and then glanced at Bobby over the top of the book.

"You can read Japanese?"

He responded by speaking in, what she would assume was, Japanese.

"Guess so, show-off." Sam remarked.

"Anyway, this book lists a kind of ghost that could be our guy. It, uh, _infects_ people with fear. It's called a Buruburu."

"It say how to kill it?" Sienna asked pointedly.

"Same as usual- burn the remains."

"Wonderful." Sam groaned. "Uh, is there a plan B?"

"Well...the buruburu is born of fear. Hell, it is fear. And the lore says we can kill it with fear."

Sienna stared at him. In a voice laced with disbelief, she said, "So we have to _scare_ a _ghost..._ to _death_?"

"Pretty much." Bob answered.

"How the hell are we going to do that?"

….

So, Dean was going to die.

There was no way their half-assed plan could work. They would try anyway, but they would most likely fail. Sienna couldn't tell if she was frozen in numbness or fear. When she finally tuned back into the boys, they were armed and ready.

She sighed and looked pleadingly at Sam. He looked back sadly.

"It's all we've got."

"That's what scares me." She whispered.

They stalked into the biggest room in the mill and separated. They had walkie talkies, so they'd resolved to search the building in two parts to save time, while Bobby waited in the Impala. Finally Bob asked her "Anything?"

"All quiet Bob."

"Alright, well...once you're done find Sam and back him up."

"Gotcha."

She headed back to the big room they'd entered from and crept toward the place they saw the ghost last. She figured Sam would be there. When she'd found him, in the room she'd guessed, he was calling out to Luther and tearing apart his old drawings of Jessie O'Brien.

"Come on, Luther! Where the hell are you?" She called into the dead air.

The saw on their left whirred into life.

"What are you waiting for?" Sam yelled.

She turned her head towards him, and exclaimed.

"Sam! Behind you!"

Luther hefted him by the lapels of his jacket and tossed him across the room. Sienna shot for his broad back but he disappeared before the rocksalt could reach him. Sam was on his back on the sawdust strewn ground. Sienna hurried over to him. She went to help him up and felt herself lifted.

"Sienna!" Sam screamed as Luther tossed her as easily as he would a baseball to the other side of the room. She collided heavily with a desk and its chair, banged her forehead on a sharp corner. She laid for a moment, then wiped the blood out of her eyes, and got back up.

Luther had Sam by his jacket and was slamming him into the ground repeatedly.

"Hey, asshole!" Sienna yelled.

He looked up at her and she used the opportunity to save Sam. She curled her fingers toward herself, as if holding onto a rope, and yanked. Sam's clothes and hair flapped wildly as he was pushed by the power of the wind to her side of the room. Sawdust hung heavily in the air now and Luther was staring, enraged, at Sienna.

She ran straight for him and he bellowed back at her angrily, but she only needed to move him halfway. He lunged for her and Sam, from the side, wrapped a fat chain around his neck three times.

"Hit it, Bobby!"

She waved cheerily as Luther was thrust back and dragged out the door, the Impala's engine rumbling loudly. In a matter of seconds, the old lumber mill shut back down and was quiet, hopefully this time for good.

….

"Dean?!" She was already yelling before they got into the motel room. He opened the door and caught her in his arms.

He kept one hand on the back of her head and the other around her waist.

"I'm okay. I'm okay." He was still panting.

Her breathing had started to slow in time with his. "That was much too close a call. Would you _please_ stop almost dying?"

He chuckled. "If I get a say in it."

He pulled her back and leaned his head down, so that his forehead was pressed to the top of her head, and his hand sat behind her back.

"Sorry for being annoying." He whispered on her lips.

She giggled. "At least you were good entertainment."

He scowled and she laughed, grabbing his shirt front to lower his head to hers. Their lips collided and Dean pulled her tighter into his body. She let her hands roam under his shirt, memorizing the lines of muscles in his back. Sam made a gagging noise, as per usual.

During the kiss, her phone in her back pocket vibrated and chimed cheerily.

Dean, looking for any excuse to touch her butt, pulled it out and opened it behind her back. He froze as he read it. She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. She knew what it must say.

"I was going to tell-"

His arms dropped and he stepped back from her.

Sam was suddenly interested in the inside of his duffel. When Dean remained silent, he glanced up reluctantly and made for the door.

"I'll go check us out."

He bolted and the door banged shut with finality.

"I just almost _died_ , C, and you're leaving?" His tone was defeated. He knew she'd have to go either way.

"I _know_ , Dean, I do but-"

And the sound of wings had them both turning toward the bathroom door. Castiel quietly opened the door and stepped out, just like they knew he would.

"What do you want?" Dean growled.

Sienna closed her eyes for a moment, fighting past the white light to see Castiel's vessel. It was getting easier, but the headache didn't seem worth his company.

"Let her go, Dean." He answered indifferently. "It's one of the seals."

Dean clenched his jaw. "And if she gets hurt? You gonna swoop in? Huh?"

"It is not my job to meddle in the affairs of half-bloods."

Sienna scoffed. "Even though we're doing your dirty work for you."

One side of Castiel's mouth twitched up and he shrugged, unaffected. He vanished.

"I _hate_ that guy." Dean grumbled.

She approached him tentatively. He was still looking pouty. She slowly wrapped her arms around his waist, scooching herself into him until her chin rested on his sternum and she stood silently staring up at him. He huffed and finally looked down at her, cupping her face until his hands ran into her hair. He left them there.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I know you don't like it either. It's just...the whole time you're gone, I can't think straight. I'm waiting for your call, so I know you're okay or imagining some horrific monster finally taking you down…" He shuddered. "I just want to protect you."

She smiled with affection.

"I know."

He sighed again and let his hands travel down her body where they trapped her tighter to him, still. He kissed her sweetly, all affection, very light heat, and rested his forehead against hers again, closing his eyes.

"You'll be safe. You'll come home."

She kissed him lightly again.

"I'll always come home to you."


	19. Lightning Strike

Hey guys, I know I've been slackin' lately so here's an extraaa long chapter with lots of action! I miss your guys' reviewssss pls review you'll make me wanna write more!

PS Don't hate me ;)

"Dean, _I will be fine_."

This was Sienna's fifth time repeating the phrase. She was driving one-handed down a two-lane highway in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, her cell phone smushed to her ear. His voice was suddenly interrupted by static.

"Dean?"

It cut in for a moment long enough to hear him say the words "Call me as-" before it cut out completely. She huffed and flipped the phone closed. Her fingers drummed the steering wheel in anxiety. She also hadn't spoken to Raina since the night before she and Dean had said their goodbyes. She'd spent the night with Dean before taking off to find a suitable car to steal the next morning. It had taken her at least half the day. Now it had been over two days since she'd spoken to Raina.

To distract herself, she thought about the crazy hunt Dean and Sam had just about solved. Dean had been on about it before their call had dropped- a walking, talking teddy bear! That was a new one, even for them. She wondered how they were going to MacGyver it.

She hated leaving him behind strictly because of how crazy he got. She swore he'd come charging out here blind if she didn't check in within the next twelve hours. The route she'd been driving was isolated and completely empty. The perfect place for an evil lair, she supposed. As much as she didn't want to be separated from Dean, she was happy to be where she was. Raina's demigods had become Sienna's family and she'd been without them for too long now.

It was another silent thirty minutes before there were any signs of demigods. She'd been ogling the landscape. The Rocky Mountains dipped, broke, and surged toward the sky around her in veins of orange, red, brown, and ochre.

The Arkansas River cut through the range revealing deep, narrowly cut canyons. The river looked like a silver thread at the bottom. She'd been noting these observations when a moving figure caught her eye further down the highway, off to the right side. Raina was supposed to be watching for her. The camp the half-bloods had set up couldn't be seen from the road, so she'd need someone to direct her to the right place.

As she got closer, she recognized Jack. She leaned her head out the window and came to a slow stop.

"Jack!" She yelled happily.

He beamed a grin at her and then, with exaggerated deliberation, pulled an arrow through the bow always present on his back and shot into the side of the canyon wall. Instead of exploding against the rock, the arrow stuck, and from the point of it, the orange and gold wall began to crumble until it resembled a perfect doorway.

While Sienna sat staring in wonder, Jack sprinted up to her door.

"The cars are parked on the right side of the cliff face. Once you park, you'll need Raina to find the lot again. It's all cloaked by Zoe."

She parked the car and turned toward the doorway. Jack waved from his hidden perch and she galloped off to find Raina. The opening in the rock was pitch dark and didn't get any brighter. Just when she was starting to get a little nervous, she thought she heard a babble of voices. She picked up speed.

Those were definitely voices.

Finally, she saw a dull white-blue glow and her heart skipped. She really missed these guys! Sometimes it felt like her life was being ripped in two; half-God and human.

She pushed through the very end of the tunnel and emerged into a dirt and rock floor cavern. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, gathered in shadows. The cave was barely lit and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust.

"Hello?" She called. Her voice echoed eerily. All the murmured voices went silent.

Then she was enveloped in arms and there were bodies everywhere pressing against her. Like she'd taken cotton out of her ears, the silence was broken by happy shouts and greetings all around. As the crowd began to thin, she was caught in a hug.

When the anonymous hugger stepped back, she recognized Sophie, the daughter of Aphrodite she'd given a few combat lessons to.

"Sophie!" She said and hugged her again.

"Alright, alright, back to work everyone!" An authoritative voice ordered.

Having recognized the voice, Sienna let go of Sophie with a wink and rushed her best friend. With her arms around her, Raina spoke.

"Gods, I'm glad you're here."

She let Raina lead her to one of the rooms the half-bloods were sleeping in, avoiding the one currently full of slumbering soldiers- guard duty from the night before.

Raina sat down on a cot, gestured that Sienna should do the same, and then ran a hand through her chestnut colored hair.

"Things are rough, C."

"You're telling me." She said. "But you go first."

Raina pursed her lips, took a deep breath and began.

"When Melanie came across this base, we figured it was the same as the others we'd found. Only a few half-bloods joined her to wipe it out." Raina shook her head with disbelief. "They were almost slaughtered. That's why we're all here now. We can't afford to lose a single demigod, not right now."

"What are we up against?"

"Well, there are two reasons I called you. I know what you're doing with Sam and Dean is just as important, so I've been trying not to need your help, but...we can't do this without you."

Sienna raised an eyebrow. Raina was almost always self-sufficient. She didn't need anybody, usually not even Sienna. Raina went on after tugging a phone out of her pocket. Sienna raised her brows further- Raina despised cell phones. They helped monsters track demigods and thus, she hardly ever carried one.

"I saw Alexander."

Sienna's stomach dropped out. "Tell me everything."

She handed her the phone and Sienna squinted to get a good look. The picture was of Alexander and another...demigod? The two were addressing a rally of beasts at the foot of what looked like a huge suspension bridge- the biggest Sienna had ever seen.

" _Who is this_?" Sienna asked.

"I don't know." Raina growled. Those were her least favorite words. "We have no idea who she is or what kind of power she wields."

"Or why she decided to team up to destroy the world." She added. "Okay, so that's obviously the first reason you called. The second?"

Raina growled angrily again. "They have a phoenix. A very protective, highly useful _stupid_ phoenix. None of us can touch it. The arrows aren't effective. You're all I could think of."

Sienna sat in wonder. A phoenix? A _real_ one? She'd never seen that before. A bird that comes back from the dead through fire...how would she kill it?

"Okay, we'll handle that in a moment, but first...I've got news, too."

Raina groaned. "Gods, no."

"I have confirmation." She murmured quietly- she didn't want to be overheard. "It's the beginning. It's really happening."

Raina slouched back against the earthen cave wall. "The apocalypse."

"You remember Dean?" Sienna asked.

Raina rolled her eyes. "Your _human_ boyfriend, yeah."

Sienna smirked. "Don't act like you didn't think about it with Sam."

"Shut up." Raina said with narrowed eyes as she tried to suppress a smile.

"Anyway, he was brought back from the pit by, get this... _an angel_."

Raina's jaw went slack. She shook her head and opened her mouth to respond but didn't get anything out. Sienna's grave expression flustered her. _"You're serious?"_

"Deadly, my friend. And that's not all. The demon Lilith, who had the contract on Dean's soul, is going around breaking seals. The seals-"

Sienna shut up as the blood drained from Raina's face. She lowered her voice more.

"You've heard of this before." She didn't say it like a question, but Raina nodded anyway.

"Revelations." Raina whispered. Sienna closed her eyes.

"It's happening. Now. _Here_."

Raina's head snapped up. "Lilith is _here_?!"

Sienna hesitated. "Maybe not Lilith, but this... _something_ about what they're doing over there _will_ break a seal."

"We have to stop it."

"Gods am I glad to hear the 'we' in that statement." Sienna breathed a sigh of relief.

….

Sienna sat, her back against a rocky wall, with her legs folded up underneath her and a barrage of pictures littering the floor in front of her. Raina sat across from her. They both sipped on mugs of hot chocolate- which astounded Sienna. How Raina managed to make every hideout she had homey and habitable, she couldn't begin to guess.

Sienna looked over at her. "What's with you and caves?"

"I'm an expert excavator, what can I say? They're safer than most other choices."

She was bending over an enlarged picture of the phoenix Thade had snapped with the help of his falcon, Cleo.

"So what's the plan, lady?"

Raina sighed, a furrow in her brow. "Well, we can momentarily kill the thing with celestial bronze, but the real problem is how to keep it from re-forming."

Sienna bit her lip, contemplating.

"Well, I can stir up the ashes and try to keep them separated from each other as much as possible. But will that actually work?"

Raina raised a brow. "You can manipulate air, too? You can get up to it's perch, then?"

"Easy-peasy."

Raina stood and paced, murmuring to herself as she went.

"So, you kill it with a celestial bronze blade. Spread the ashes and make absolutely sure a portion of them fall in the river. Then we can use Zack to send it downstream, making it much harder for the bird to reform at least for now."

Sienna had shot to her feet. "Zack? As in-"

"Yup."

She turned on her heel and there stood the son of Posiedon she'd fought almost a decade before. She could practically hear her conversation with Dean over a year ago… _"We didn't get along…"_ Tousled black hair, tan skin, tall muscular frame, and sea-blue eyes just like she remembered.

"Hi." She said placidly. He cracked a half-smile.

"Hello, Sienna. Been a long time."

"Sure has." She mumbled.

He flashed a grin, showing a chipped upper incisor, and held out his hand. She gripped it tentatively.

"Water under the bridge. I was young and stupid. All I want now is to help."

Sienna shook his hand with more certainty.

"Well, then you came to the right place."

"Especially since he's going to be helping with the phoenix."

Sienna turned on Raina, scrunching her forehead in confusion.

"Why?" She asked. "No offense, Zack, but it's a _bird_. He's the son of _Posiedon_. How's he going to get up there?"

Raina smiled. "You're going to take him."

" _What_?" Sienna held up her hands. "Okay, wait. Can we go back over the plan, please?"

"Look at these." Raina gestured to the photos at her feet. "The bird is perched on the furthest top point of the suspension bridge. You, C, are going to pull Zack with you and place him on the opposite side of the bridge. You should still be able to see from there, Zack, but Sienna you should try not to get in his way. From there-"

"I'll kill it with celestial bronze and spread the ashes." Sienna finished.

"And you'll keep her from getting hurt." Raina ordered Zack.

He nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Aye, aye captain."

"According to our intel-"

"Meaning Jack." Sienna cut off Raina again. She glared at her until Sienna pantomimed zipping her lips shut sheepishly.

"-the best time to attack the camp is at high noon when all the monsters are weakened by the sun. So, it's-" She checked her watch. "Nine in the morning now. Let's eat and then we'll decide who to bring as back up and get armed."

Sienna followed Raina to the rations, Zack on her heels.

"So how's your life been? How's your mom? I remember she was the only reason we didn't tear each other apart so long ago." He asked.

"Uh, she's dead." Sienna replied matter-of-factly. She grabbed a bagel from the table Raina had led them to and turned to find cream cheese or jam.

"Oh. I-I'm so sorry."

She shrugged. "It comes with the territory. She was lucky to have lived that long."

" _What?_ " He seemed truly appalled.

She raised her eyebrows, surprised. "You know, this life."

"I really _don't_ know."

Sienna grimaced at him.

" _This_ life." She gestured all around them. "I've done it my whole life. Tracked and hunted monsters. Saved innocents if I could. My mom did too. That's how she died. It's an honorable death. How she would have wanted it."

He stared at her with renewed respect. She smirked and walked away.

Raina suggested, since she'd drove straight there and had been working ever since, that Sienna get a nap in before the attack. She settled into a cot with her weapons, cell phone, and duffel next to her and fell almost instantly to sleep.

Her dreams flitted along uninterrupted for awhile. Thank Gods. She'd been having too many future glimpses. She'd rather go in blind instead of knowing what would happen without the ability to change it. She recognized when her innocent dream about Dean shifted. _What is it this time?_ She wondered apprehensively.

The first thing she understood was who _._

 _She saw Dean, Sam, Ruby, and another redheaded woman she didn't recognize in what appeared to be a church. She noticed blood weeping down the cheeks of Mary's statue. Her stomach tightened. Sam and the unnamed woman darted out of the room. Sam returned without the redhead, gripping a metal flask._

 _Dean and Ruby fought over something about Sam she didn't hear and then they were all grim-faced and silently staring at the wooden door at the end of the room._

 _The door burst open and a graying white man stalked into the room. Sam thrust up his hand and she could tell he was trying to exorcise whatever demon was possessing the man. Sienna's mouth popped open in surprise. Sam didn't affect the demon in the slightest. She screamed for her boys as Sam was thrown down a flight of stairs and Dean, trying to attack it with Ruby's demon-killing knife, was shoved against a railing and the demon began beating him over and over._

 _Dean looked into the demon's face, blinking blood out of his eyes._

" _Alastair." He mumbled in horror._

She lunged out immediately when she felt hands on her shoulders. She'd lost the dream in consciousness.

"No!" She cried.

"Hey, hey. It's alright." Said a slightly husky familiar voice. She looked up into Zack's concerned sea-blue eyes.

She fell back onto her cot, her hands coming up to cover her face. She brought her knees up to her chest and felt Zack sit on the end of her makeshift bed.

"Bad dreams?"

She let her hands fall back to her sides and sighed. "Yeah."

"I know. They're the reason I came. I've been seeing that scrawny, pale kid for almost a year."

She sat up at that. "You have?"

He grimaced and glanced sideways at her.

"The first thing I saw was you." He chuckled at her expression. "I was _beyond_ surprised to see you here. I thought I watched him kill you."

She grimaced back him. "The centaur's blood?"

"How did you manage that one?"

"Zoe. And her magical creams."

He raised his brows. "Magical enough for _that_? Wow. You know, _you're_ the reason I'm here. Why I'm doing any of this."

"Why?" Her voice had dropped to a whisper and she was suddenly very aware of how close he was to her.

He shrugged and stared into her eyes. "I saw you there. Fighting Alexander. You know, I had almost totally forgotten about you. And when I saw you there, I remembered that you were just as powerful as I was...maybe more." He laughed. "Hell, of course it's more. But I thought...she's out there, fighting evil, using her power to help people, _a real hero_...and I wanted to be like that."

They stared at each other for a long time. Finally Sienna spoke.

"Well, now you can say you are." She snorted. "But being a hero means living with tragedy. Don't say I didn't warn you."

She smiled bleakley and rolled out of the cot.

….

Sienna was shoving hydra-hide gloves over her fingers with anticipation. She'd need them to avoid burning herself with the celestial bronze blade. Zack came into the cave she'd reserved for her things wearing an ancient-styled bronze helmet. He stuck his sword through a strap on his belt and looked up at her, pushing something into her hand. She looked down. Another sword holster. She thanked him and strapped it, with her sword, to her body.

Raina swept into the room, all business, with three demigods behind her. Melanie winked at Sienna, her face still bruised in places from her initial attack on Alexander's base. Behind her stood Eli, a Norse kid with elfish features and a shock of bright white-blonde hair, and Thade, who was dressed all in orange, brown, gold, and red. He seemed to blend with the rock around him.

"Melanie, Eli, and I are your back-up." Raina started. "Thade is going to try to get as close to the camp as possible and spy."

Everyone nodded.

"Alright. Let's go."

The convoy head out, Sienna and Zack in front. Their boots crunched on the rocky dirt as they rounded the cliff face and the bridge came into full view. It was massive, steel gray and glittering in the daylight. She thought she could see the tiny prick of whitish yellow on the tip of the far right cap of the structure.

"You know, I still don't completely understand why I needed you, specifically." Sienna murmured to Zack.

He chuckled. "You'll see."

They stuck close to the rocky sides of the gorge, trying to blend in as best they could. About fifty feet from the beginning of the bridge, Raina halted their progress. They grouped around her.

"Okay. Thade you don't get too close until Sienna and Zack have the phoenix distracted. We three will remain on solid ground in case anything happens to the bridge. Eli you stay over here, Melanie and I will take the side closest to the base. Any monsters come out of the woodwork, send them to Tartartus. Got it?"

"Got it."

Sienna looked up. She could see the phoenix now. Though she couldn't be sure that's what it was- it just looked like any old large bird nesting up there. She was just about to look away when flames suddenly erupted around the bird in a wide arc. Her mouth flopped open. She met Raina's gaze suspiciously. She was sheepish.

"Did I not mention that?"

" _It breathes fire?!_ They don't breathe fire, how the hell-"

"And now you know why I'm here." Zack smirked at her over Raina's head. Sienna laughed without humor.

"Well, I definitely welcome your help now."

"Alright." Raina interrupted. "Sienna, you start this."

She nodded, eyes met with everyone in the huddle and then turned toward the bridge. Zack stepped toward her, turned around and held his arms out like he was being frisked. She gripped his biceps from underneath, took a breath, and her feet left the ground.

She felt Zack's gasp. She was sure water boy, here, had certainly never flown. She was still rising into the air. The bridge must have been hundreds of feet tall. The steel and cables looked formidable from this close.

"Almost there!" He called.

Finally she saw the metal platform rising up beside her. She leaned to the left and felt Zack's weight taken off her muscles. She loosened her grip and he stepped out of her arms. Her feet touched the platform and she turned, with Zack, to stare across at the phoenix.

"Wow." Came his shaky voice. "We are _really_ high up."

She threw her head back and laughed.

"Wanna rethink signing up for heroics?" She grinned.

"And admit you're tougher than me? Never." He grinned back.

He cracked his knuckles and took a deep breath through his nose before turning towards the nesting phoenix.

"Okay, C, let's do this."

She laughed again at his determination not to be scared and lifted off the platform. From above she could see the tiny figures of Eli, Melanie, and Raina darting to the sides of the bridge. When they were all safely off the structure, she shot up a few more feet and started cautiously toward the phoenix. She unsheathed her sword with a snick.

As soon as the weapon was out, the phoenix started blasting fire. Sienna jumped backwards, letting herself fall about ten feet. The canyon was far, far below. She held herself in midair wondering how to proceed. She needed to be in a position where Zack could spray the bird without blasting her as well.

Deciding on a plan, she pushed herself to the tower the bird rested upon. As lightly as she could, she began to climb it, her feet dangling into the chasm. She was only about twenty feet from the bird when it squawked and blew fire straight up in the air.

She continued her climb. When she was close enough to be burned, she thrust her sword through the nest.

SQUAWK.

The phoenix took to the sky. She groaned. That would make it much harder. She pulled herself up into its nest made of grass, leaves, twigs and random bits of trash. She kicked at the nest hoping to piss it off. It worked. The phoenix flew directly at her, opening its mouth to blast the threat to its home. She crumpled into as small a ball as she could make herself.

Water gushed above her head in torrents, straight from the river so far down. She heard a squawk and- damn.

The phoenix had moved. Sienna got a strange feeling. She'd seen the bird soar over the very center of the enemy encampment about three times but not one monster had come barreling out of the warehouse building they were hidden in.

Either way, the fight wasn't going well. Sienna used the wind to knock the bird against the rocky canyon wall. But this didn't stop it from spewing flames and almost incinerating her. She couldn't help getting in Zack's way either.

Frustrated, she backed off and flew at Zack. She touched down next to him and growled. He laughed at her rage.

"Okay, new plan." She reasoned, working it out quickly in her head, breathing hard. "I'm just going to grab it."

" _What_? That's suicide!" He yelled back.

She snorted. "Welcome to the hero game."

And she dove off.

"SIENNA!" He yelled after her.

The phoenix dove straight for her about halfway down the length of the bridge. She backed up about twenty feet and waited, hovering in midair.

"Come on, you dumb bird, right here." She murmured.

It was close enough for her to see it's golden plume under the pale beige feathers at the top of its head. She imagined her eyes shone the same luminescent color. She dove headfirst for its chest as it opened its mouth for another burst of flame.

"SIENNA!" She heard again.

Good. He was paying attention. Her arms wrapped around the bird and she flipped it by the sinuous bands connecting its wings to its body. Fire shot out of its mouth, Sienna felt the heat through its body, and then heard a geyser of water explode from below her. She shrieked, pushed the bird ahead of her and then let herself drop a good fifty feet in less than a minute. She was soaked, but not hurt.

The geyser lost pressure and she searched fervently for the light colored bird. She spotted it, limp, falling into the pit from above her. She shot back up and gripped the bird in both hands. She was eye level with Zack who whooped and cheered. She laughed in triumph, throwing her head back.

And then the bird sprung back into life.

Sienna's laugh was cut off abruptly as the phoenix lunged for her face with its talons.

"Ah!" She flinched and let go with one hand, trying to protect herself. She heard rushing water again, but refused to let go.

"SHIT! SIENNA!" Zack's scream echoed around her and she ducked the birds swinging wings and feet to look at the platform. He wasn't there.

"ZACK!" She screamed in panic.

Somehow she kept her grip on the bird, her fingers splayed into its wing. She saw a flash of black and desperately shoved her hand out.

"STOP HIM!"

She felt a tug in the bottom of her feet and Zack's screams ended abruptly. She grunted in strain. This was extending her power a little far. With the hand she was using to keep Zack aloft, she curled her fingers toward herself and he jetted toward her in shuttery starts and stops. He was close enough to reach her now.

"Grab onto me! I can't kill it and hold you up!"

He slung an arm around her waist and buried his fist in the fabric, holding on for dear life. She grunted again. The exhaustion was settling in her limbs. She felt like a car running on fumes.

"I can't reach my sword!" She cried.

Zack looked around her body, located the sword with his eyes and took a panting breath.

"Then I'll do it."

She raised a brow. "You don't have any gloves on. This is celestial bronze, it'll burn the shit out of you!"

He flashed a cocky half-smile.

"Welcome to the hero game, right?"

A slow grin spread her lips and she chuckled, shaking her head in a mix of exasperation and respect. Zack took two big breaths and seized the sword from her scabbard. She cringed with him as he tried not to scream and failed. With a cry of pain, he thrust the sword through the phoenix's chest and pulled it out savagely. Sienna let her fingers relax and the bird began to plummet to the ground. He tucked the sword back in her belt as quickly as possible.

Ten feet below them, they watched the feathers sift away to ash.

"Spread them. Water and air." She murmured.

She flicked her hand and half the ashes swirled to the other side of the chasm.

Zack pulled a great wave from below which enveloped the other half of the ash and sent it down the river where they could no longer see.

Sienna pulled them both over to solid ground, well away from the edge of the canyon. They immediately collapsed onto their backs, panting.

"How's your hand?"

"I'll live." He laughed.

She sat up and waved over to Raina who was running across the bridge at a sprint.

"How's your head?" He asked her, pointing to her forehead.

She put her fingers to the area he'd indicated and they came away wet with blood.

"He must have got me."

"Hmmm." Zack looked sarcastically contemplative. "Perhaps when you tackled it like a football lineman?"

They both burst out laughing, laying back on the ground. Finally they quieted and Sienna, standing up, leaned over to help him stand as well. She held onto his hand for a moment after he was up and flashed her million watt smile.

"Welcome to team Hero."

….

The rest of the day was busy.

When the demigods came trudging back into their hideout, Raina ordered Zack and Sienna to the room she'd napped in straight away. They marched through the barely lit corridors obediently, accepting murmured praise from others. When they arrived, Raina pointed to two separate cots and they sat gratefully.

All of Sienna's energy was gone.

She'd hardly slept for two days and she'd just exhausted a good amount of her strength killing the phoenix.

"C." Raina gently got her attention.

She looked up and Raina tossed a silver flask at her. She caught it, knowing what it would be. She unscrewed the lid and took a large gulp of nectar- food of the Gods. In small quantities the sweet drink could heal demigods of almost anything. Too much and your blood would boil.

She handed the flask to Zack who took it with his good hand. Raina was already gingerly applying a light purple cream over the burns on the other. He sucked through his teeth at a sudden pain.

When she'd finished with him, she moved on to Sienna.

"It's just a scratch." She complained.

Raina went on despite her protests. She poured alcohol on a cotton ball and dabbed at her forehead. It stung but Sienna had had much worse. Without warning, Thade stuck his head in the doorway. He was covered in orange-brown dust, his hair dyed to a shade lighter than his normal sleek black. His expression, which was almost always stoic and unreadable, spoke of urgency and maybe even panic.

"You guys have got to see this."

Raina went straight as a board and waved him into the room.

Thade took out his cell phone, set it in the middle of them and slowly started flipping through pictures he'd taken. Raina stared at the phone open-mouthed. Sienna had a crushing feeling in her stomach, but she didn't understand what he was showing her.

"An egg?" Zack asked skeptically.

A large golden egg lay in the middle of a fire surrounded by ritualistic circles and pentagrams drawn in chalk. It certainly looked like Alex was up to something but she couldn't tell what.

Sienna leaned across Zack to grab a water bottle. She began taking a drink as Thade zoomed in on a particular part of the pentagram. Words in another language were written there. Raina squinted and read out loud- "Teme...luchus?"

Sienna spit out the water, choking and gasping.

" _What did you just say_?"

The other three stared at her in bewilderment. She lunged for the phone, squinting to read the tiny letters. Raina had been right. Temeluchus.

"You know the name?" Zack asked.

She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Yes." She met Raina's eyes. "This is it, Ray. The seal. They're trying to raise the demon of eternal torment. Believe me, no one will want that."

"Okay, and the egg?"

Sienna shrugged. "I don't know the actual ritual. Never had a reason to chat up a demon as big and bad as him."

Raina was examining the picture an inch from her face.

"I'm pretty sure that's a phoenix egg. Actual fire is the only thing warm enough to incubate it."

"Well, then it's got to be essential to their plan to raise the demon." Thade added.

Raina was nodding with her forehead scrunched in concentration.

"Okay." She said. "When we make our battle plans, that will be the goal. We'll kill as many monsters as possible while you, Sienna, get the egg. Zack shadow her and put out the fire. Kill anything you can on the way over there."

Sienna pulled her eyebrows together angrily.

"But Alex-"

Raina must have expected her objection.

" _We will have time for that_. But if we don't stop this seal who knows the damage that demon can do? That _has_ to be the priority."

Sienna clenched her teeth but nodded in agreement anyway. She knew Raina was right, but she couldn't help the overwhelming desire to kill the kid who'd started all this in the first place.

….

The rest of the day was spent around Raina's hand-drawn maps of Alex's base on the other side of the bridge. Demigods were gathered around a giant rectangular table. Raina was giving out orders and organizing their small army in the ways she thought best.

Sienna sat a little away from the group. She already knew her role and didn't feel like listening to the rest. She was worrying about Dean.

She hadn't talked to him in two, almost three days. She couldn't begin to wonder what he would think if she didn't call him soon. She went to pass the group of demigods, pausing behind Raina.

"I'm going to go get a report from Jack."

Raina nodded in acknowledgement and continued speaking.

Sienna ducked out of the low tunnel entrance, walking through darkness, until she stepped out into the low afternoon light. The sunset set the mountains blazing in deep reds and golden yellows. Upon seeing her, Jack hopped down from the rock he'd been perched on and jogged up to meet her.

"What's going on?" She asked.

He shrugged and sighed. "Nothing. The phoenix hasn't reformed. I'm honestly getting pretty bored."

She laughed. "Sorry dude! But I'm almost positive you get to fight in the actual attack, if that makes you feel better."

He grinned and pumped his fist. "Finally, some action!"

She laughed again and turned to walk away from him, pulling out her phone. She flipped it open, crossing her fingers. No service. She tried walking further from the cave. Nothing.

"It won't work for like an hour back towards civilization."

She looked back at Jack who must have yelled the words as he retreated back to his hiding spot. She sighed again and snapped the phone closed.

Finally dusk, the demigods settled in for sleep. Raina on one side of her and Zack on the other, they lay compacted and uncomfortable, but the three half-bloods were so exhausted they weren't deterred from sleep. Sienna tossed fitfully, glimpses of the future flitting behind her eyelids. _Sam's eyes black, Dean and Sam fighting viciously, Castiel behind an unconscious Dean, Sienna huddled against purple rock sobbing quietly, her fingers bleeding..._

The dream stopped on one.

 _The scene opened at Bobby's. It was the same four as before: Sam, Dean, Ruby, and the mysterious redhead. Sienna was in the room with them, as if she were a part of the conversation, but when she moved a hand in front of Dean's face, he didn't even flinch. The redhead spoke first._

" _Guys? The angels are talking again."_

Talking? What in the world did she mean by that?

" _What are they saying?" Sam asked._

" _It's weird...like a recording on a loop. It says 'Dean Winchester gives us Anna by midnight or…"_

" _Or what?" Dean looked anxious._

 _The redhead faced him. "Or we hurl him back to damnation."_

 _Dean's mouth flopped half-open in astonishment._

She could see the panic in his eyes and wished like Hell she could be there _._

" _Anna, do you know any weapon that works on an angel?" Sam asked before Dean could have a full-blown panic attack._

" _To what? Kill them?" She asked skeptically. "Nothing we could get to...not right now."_

" _Wait, wait!" Dean yelled. "I say we call Bobby."_

 _Sam turned to him exasperated. "Dean, what's he going to tell us that we don't already know?"_

" _I don't know!" Dean exploded. "But we have to think of something!"_

 _The scene shifted. Suddenly they were outside, Dean bent over the Impala examining a book by the light of a lantern. She watched him step away from the book and reach for his phone. He dialed, waited, and then snapped the phone shut angrily. He gripped his hair in both hands and squinched his eyes shut, swaying in place._

Sienna's heart lurched. She knew he was calling her.

" _Can't get a hold of somebody?" A voice called out._

 _Dean turned to find the redhead, Anna. He looked back down at his phone._

" _Yeah…"_

" _Are you worried?"_

" _Well, as you can see, my line of work can be very dangerous." His voice lowered. "Even more so for her."_

" _Her?" She asked suggestively._

 _Dean snorted. "Yeah, her. She's more badass than I could ever be, but even more people want her dead, if you can believe that. And she hasn't called me in 3 days."_

 _He sounded wracked with worry, as if he couldn't breath._

 _Anna frowned sympathetically._

" _Well, there are parts of my grace that never left. Maybe I can help you. Do you have something of hers?"_

 _Dean's eyes lit up. "Yeah! Hang on."_

 _He pulled his wallet out and Sienna saw the polaroid picture he'd taken of her so long ago. She was laughing at him wearing only one of his shirts. She smiled at the memory._

 _Anna took the picture, smiling at him, and then held his hand and closed her eyes. Dean closed his too, and exhaled a small gasp. Sienna couldn't see what Anna was making Dean see. Dean abruptly screamed Sienna's name and wrenched out of Anna's grasp._

 _He crumpled against the Impala. Anna stood frozen, shocked by his reaction._

" _It wasn't real." Dean said through clenched teeth._

 _Anna went down on her knees beside him._

" _According to her decisions in this moment, yes, Dean. That's what she's doing right now."_

 _He just kept shaking his head._

" _I'm so sorry." She whispered._

" _No, no, no." But Dean had given up. He collapsed into Anna, sobs wracking his chest. She rubbed his back, letting her fingers go up the back of his neck and into his hair, just like Sienna did. He pulled out of her reach._

" _I can't live in a world where Sienna doesn't exist."_

 _She cupped his face in her hands._

" _Yes you can. You can't give up, Dean. There's not enough people working for good. You can't abandon the world because of your grief."_

 _He stared at her, his mouth half-open and his eyes wide. She stared back._

" _I remind you of her." She whispered, her breath coming out ragged._

 _Sienna's stomach had started to twist._

 _Anna moved another inch toward him._

" _Dean..I have to tell you something. You're not going to like it. A couple weeks ago, I heard the angels talking...about you. What you did in Hell."_

 _He looked at her, frozen. She put a hand on his cheek._

" _It wasn't your fault. You should forgive yourself."_

" _Anna, I-I don't...I can't talk about that."_

" _I know. But when you can, you have people that want to help. You are not alone. That's all I'm trying to say."_

 _Dean didn't say anything. He kept staring at the ground. Sienna froze in shock as Anna closed the space between them and pressed her lips to his. Dean didn't respond for a few seconds. Then, as Sienna was rooted to her spot with stupefaction, she watched Dean pick her up, just like he did to Sienna, and take her to the backseat of the Impala, shedding their clothes._

 _The scene flashed bright white, causing Sienna to yelp in surprise. And then a single symbol flashed in front of her sight over and over and over._

 _One word echoed around her head in Zeus' voice. "Banish…"_

….

Her eyes flew open with a gasp. White hot anger instantaneously flooded her veins. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She turned around and stood fluidly.

"Morning, sunshine."

She cut her gaze toward a yawning Zack. If she wasn't so angry she would have thought he looked like a puppy with his hair messy and his eyes still droopy from sleep.

"Did you know you're glowing?" He asked with a sleepy laugh.

Her glare intensified and he raised his eyebrows. Raina propped herself on an elbow and looked at her inquisitively.

"Sienna?" She paused and continued in a subdued voice. "Oh."

Sienna marched past them, her feet slapping loudly on the rock. She had to get out of this place before she forced it all to come crumbling down.

"Wait, Sienna!" She heard Zack call.

"No, no, no! Zack! Come back here!"

She heard two sets of footsteps racing behind her but she didn't turn around. She was afraid she'd take her anger with Dean out on them.

Finally she ducked out of the cave opening to find a bright sunny day and a baby blue sky. She stomped farther from the entrance taking deep breaths and pacing. _How could he think I wouldn't have found out?_

She heard pebbles shift under feet as Zack and Raina had finally caught up to her.

"Sienna," Zack panted. "What's...wrong?"

Their obvious concern for her only made her angrier. She closed her eyes trying to keep her emotions in check, but her breaths were coming faster now.

"C?"

"No! Get away from her!" Raina yelled.

Raina was right. She tackled Zack around the waist, throwing them both out of Sienna's reach. Her eyes snapped open and she screamed at the same time that she held up a hand pointed at the mountainside furthest from the demigods.

A beam of golden, forked lightning a foot around shot from her in one large blast.

The sound was like an avalanche or a tornado. Only something natural could be that deafening. Red dust littered the air and bits of rock were raining down around them. Sienna didn't care. She stood with her arm still raised and stared numbly at the destruction she caused. Once the dust cleared enough for her vision to allow, she could make out the crater in the mountain. It was the size of a four-story building.

"Holy Hera…" She heard Zack's awed whisper.

Raina approached her cautiously. "Feel better?"

Sienna put her arm down and began walking to the opening of their cave again.

"No."

Raina and Zack scrambled to keep up with her.

She could feel Zack's gaze on her, but she didn't look up to meet his. They'd emerged into the pitch black tunnel when Raina spoke quietly from her right side.

"Are they okay?"

Sienna let out a big breath. She felt like she couldn't breathe, as if someone had parked a mack truck on her chest.

"I don't know." She murmured.

Raina grabbed her hand and squeezed, holding on.

"I'm sorry you have to be here." She said regretfully. "But South Dakota isn't far from here. Maybe if you take off right after the fight, you could get there in time."

Sienna barked out a mean laugh as they stepped back into the lit caverns.

"Don't wish that on Dean."

Raina looked at her with surprise but didn't comment. The other demigods had woken by now, some looking at her in awe. She ignored them. She just wanted to get the stupid egg and go find Dean- and once she knew he hadn't been smited by the angels, she was going to massacre him.

….

There were forty-three demigods in all.

Forty of them were going to charge into battle and destroy Alexander's monster cavalry. Raina, Jack, and Thade had so far seen skeleton creatures, spirits, the three furies, harpies, centaurs, and stymphalian birds.

The sounds of preparation rang around her- the sharpening of blades, murmurs from the group of half-bloods, and the burnt peanut butter smell of magick coming from Zoe, the daughter of Hectate who'd saved her life about a year before.

Raina climbed onto the giant rectangular table in the middle of the packed cavern and cupped her hands around her mouth.

"Half-bloods!" She yelled.

Everyone turned to face her and the room fell into silence.

"Let's go over the plan one more time, okay? We approach the bridge, crossing three at a time until we're all over. Then, Zoe, you enact your misting spell to obscure the monster's view. Where are my archers?"

A small group of demigods stepped forward headed by a grinning Jack.

"It's important that you guys immediately shoot down anything flying. Take high ground and try not to engage in any ground combat if you can avoid it. Focus on what's in the sky, especially near Sienna!"

Jack turned to her. "I got your back, C."

"Thanks Jack." She smiled.

"The rest of you remember your formation? As close as possible to the fire, egg, and pentagram. Sienna, Zach, and I will focus on the egg and stopping the seal. Sienna, stick close to Zach and don't fly until you absolutely have to."

Sienna and Zach nodded to her in sync.

"Okay." She sighed. "Remember that we don't know anything about this mystery chick. Be cautious and remain vigilant! And please, Gods, be as careful as you can."

With that, she turned and the mass of half-gods she'd assembled followed her to battle.

…

Sienna watched as the last group of fighters crossed the bridge. She had gone first with Raina and Zach. She fidgeted with the large canvas bag Raina had given her.

Their little group huddled against the orange rocks of the canyon wall, attempting to hide their number. Raina motioned to Jack and she watched silently as he and six other demigods with bows strapped to their backs clambered over the rocky ridge and darted off in different directions.

"Okay, Zoe. Now." Raina whispered.

Sienna only heard the mumble of speech, the words lost on the wind whipping past her head. They waited for only a minute before large clumps of heavy white mist began to erupt from the cracks in the rock. Within another couple moments, the ground was littered with it. Looking over their shoulders, the demigods began to swarm the compound, the memory of Raina's hand-drawn maps their only guide.

Sienna and Zach, hand in hand, sprinted for the middle- Sienna's bag fluttering chaotically behind her. Other demigods dived out of the way when they caught a glimpse of the two through the clinging fog, leaving their way virtually clear.

Panting, the pair slowed to a stop at the edge of the pentagram. Sienna was shaking her head back and forth at Zach's triumphant look.

"This...was...too easy." She wheezed out.

"Agreed."

Raina had magically appeared beside them.

"The egg?" Sienna asked. She and Raina hardly had to clarify their thoughts to each other.

"That's all I can think of."

"Would you guys _not_ talk in code?" Zach asked irritably.

Sienna rolled her eyes and Raina explained.

"As soon as we touch that egg…"

"All hell is going to break loose." Sienna finished looking up into Zach's pretty sea-blue eyes. They were darker today than they had been in the past two days.

"Well, we don't have another choice." He muttered resolutely.

Sienna made a move toward the circle and Raina grabbed her wrist before throwing her head back and shouting.

"GET READY!"

She released Sienna's arm and nodded her toward it, her eyes turned skyward warily. Zach stepped up to her side.

"I'm going to extinguish the flames, then wrap my arms around your waist while you tuck that sucker in your bag. I'll pull you safely out of the circle and then we can join the fight."

She nodded, staring at the golden egg.

Zach made a movement she just barely saw out of the corner of her eye and the flames sizzled and died. She waited for his arms to wrap her. When they did, they squeezed lightly.

"Be careful, C." She heard him whisper.

She held her breath and stepped into the chalk-drawn pentagram. She let the breath out. Nothing swarmed at her or attacked. She bent to pick up the egg, as if it were a bomb, and as her hands crossed over the final chalk boundary, she observed in bewilderment as a name was carved into the gold shell right before her eyes. She squinted.

 _Zachary Highcliff._

She didn't have time to wonder what that could possibly mean. She hesitated a second time, her fingertips centimeters from the gold. She snatched up the egg and dropped it into the canvas bag. Zach pulled her out of the pentagram at once.

He'd just let her go and sighed in relief when the night around them exploded.

Zach pushed her head down and they crouched where they were, trying to catch sight of what was attacking. The sky was a blur of blue, grey, and black. Stymphalian birds swarmed the sky, their metal feathers and beaks glinted dangerously in the bright noon-day sun.

She flicked her right hand around wildly, sending flying creatures soaring past the half-bloods in all directions. Jack and the other archers shot down as many as possible, their bows snapping rhythmically in the chaos.

Zach was pulling her through the crowd.

"What are you doing?!" She shouted at him.

"I saw Alex!"

She gasped and let him lead her toward the chasm with the river waiting below. Their progress across the battlefield was slowing. Monsters popped out of nowhere beside them or in their path and they took turns dispatching each one to Tartarus.

A shirtless blonde centaur with an eyepatch broke out of the melee and ran for her, diving for the bag. She jumped up several feet and landed with her sword hilt down on his back. The horse legs reared and the man screamed. He bucked suddenly, hard enough to send her, sword in hand, flying to the ground. She grabbed desperately for the egg, pulling the bag into her arms to keep the egg from breaking open as she connected with the hard rocky ground.

The impact forced all the air in her lungs to rush out in one great whoosh. The centaur, with its flank dyed purple from blood, turned, hoping to finish her off, and was caught in the chest with the point of Zach's sword. Another movement and the centaur shuddered to the ground.

Zach caught her up under her arm and hauled her to her feet.

"Have you seen him?" She practically screamed while sinking her sword through the abdomen of an old, ratty harpy. Her chicken feet kicked once and didn't move again.

"Uh…" Zach scanned the surroundings above her while she cut down another harpy before it could sink its talons into his chest.

"There!" He yelled, and grabbed her with an arm around her waist, pushing her in front of him. They raced toward the edge of the canyon, moving too fast for the attacking monsters to even glance at the pair.

The path in front of them was clear of monsters and demigods. They sprinted for it.

"SIENNA!" Raina suddenly yelled. "MONSTER!"

She skidded to a stop; Zach almost knocked her off her feet when he crashed into her back. A deafening roar shook the ground under their feet. Sienna shrieked and tackled Zach across the clearing moments before a clawed paw the size of her torso hit the ground where they had just been standing.

"The one time I don't have Aegis!" She screamed in frustration.

They scrambled, army-crawling, to the closest grouping of orange rock and ducked behind it. Sienna peered over the rock to get a look at the monster. It was some sort of giant cat...a lion? The sun shimmered off its tawny coat. Raina slid in beside them, panting deeply from her sprint across the field of mist, dust, and jagged rock.

"Raina, is that-"

"The Nemean Lion. Yeah."

" _How?_ " Zach demanded in horror.

"Hercules killed it like three _thousand_ years ago! _He's raising monsters from the dead?!_ "

Sienna was appalled. She'd never heard of such a thing. Her mind raced as she thought of all the possible foes Alexander could bring back.

She needed to kill that kid, once and for all.

She interrupted Raina and Zack in an argument upon whether it was the original Nemean Lion or not. She flicked them both on their collar bones.

"Uh, hi. _It. Does. Not. Matter._ How are we going to kill it? Hercules strangled the thing and, I don't know if you noticed, but none of us can Hulk out!" She yelled.

Raina clenched her jaw in reluctance.

"You don't need God-like strength to kill it. You just need to get to it's jugular. It's the only vulnerable part on the whole beast."

Zach peeked back over the rock with a scoff.

"The thing's like thirty feet tall! How do you expect us to do that?"

There was an awkward silence.

" _Oh, come on!_ " Sienna complained. "Why do I get all the hard stuff?"

Raina threw her hands up. "You're the chosen one! Take it up with your dad!"

Sienna covered her eyes with her hands, pressing her palms into her sockets. She could hear the sounds of fighting all around. The clash of metal on metal, the screams of harpies, the thumps of man-eating birds falling to the ground.

She pulled her hands down and faced her comrades doggedly.

"What's the plan?"

"Okay, let me think for a second…" Raina squinched her eyes shut for half a moment. "Zach, you and I will run around it. Use your sword, but be careful or it could break! And no water! Sienna could slip off the metal!"

"Got it."

"C, you just hang back until you find a good opening, and jump onto the lion's back and stab it in the jugular with your celestial bronze blade. Oh, and give me the egg."

Sienna handed her the bag, took her gloves out of her pocket and thrust them on.

"Ready?" Raina asked.

They nodded and together, Raina and Zach ducked back out from behind their hiding spot and sprinted at the beast. It roared indignantly and began chasing Zach. He ran and dove for another outcropping of rock. The lion raised a giant paw, moments from batting the son of Posiedon over the edge of the abyss, when it roared again and flipped around. Raina had stabbed at its tail, diverting its attention to her instead.

Sienna left her post, sneaking past bigger rocks and diving behind them when the lion turned an angle he could see her at. She watched the other two dodge, run, provoke, and narrowly escape the lion over and over. Finally, she was just a couple feet away when Raina spotted her. Raina ran forward, toward her, and Sienna realized she was setting her up for the perfect jump. As she got closer, Sienna boosted herself up the rock she'd been hiding behind and watched closely. Raina ran inches from Sienna shouting, "NOW!"

Sienna pushed off the rock and sailed weightlessly through the air for a few seconds before landing painfully on the cement-hard metal back of the lion. First and foremost she laid down and distributed her weight. She pulled herself to its haunches, right behind its ears. Her pants had hiked up and her ankle pressed against the cold metal- apparently celestial bronze. She screamed and clambered to cover the exposed skin.

The lion must have realized she was there.

It started bucking wildly like a horse and swiping as best it could at her with its paws. One of its claws nicked her thigh and blood began pouring down her jeans. Zach yelled, trying to pull its attention from Sienna, but the beast remained focused on her.

She was holding on by the tips of her fingers, barely stable at all, but she had very little time. She pulled out her sword and dug deeper into the lion's metal fur with her free hand. The ends of the metal shavings had cut open her glove and she could feel her skin burning, but she shoved the pain down and kept searching.

Finally, with a shout of relief, she felt the warm, fuzzy feeling of the lion's real coat beneath the metal armor. She closed her free hand around it tightly- it was the only thing keeping her on the lion.

Her sudden grip on its real fur panicked the lion and it began running and bucking like a bull at a county rodeo. She gritted her teeth, willing herself to stay on the monster, and thrust the sword out with strain plunging it, hilt-deep, into the soft skin at it's jugular.

The lion stopped thrashing immediately.

Realizing what this meant, she tried to get in a position to jump off its back, but the metal was slippery with its blood and instead of jumping, she was thrown ten feet. She hit the ground with another hard thud, groaned, and rolled over to stand at the lion's body.

Hauling the sword out, she was soaked in the bright purple blood of greek monsters.

The fight was soon going to be over, she realized. The demigods had made quick work of Alexander's flimsy monster army.

She was actually smiling when Raina and Zack ran up to her exclaiming about the kill.

"Look Sienna!" Zack pointed to the body of the lion.

Was it shrinking? Sienna stared in part-wonder and part-horror as the lion's body moved. But it didn't come back alive, no, instead it shrunk to the size of a normal lion before dissolving into the ground, leaving behind only a pristine lion-fur cloak. She picked it up to examine it.

"The cloak!" Raina shouted. "Sienna, you can protect yourself from any weapon _ever made_ with this cloak!"

Sienna was about to tell her she knew, when a chillingly familiar laugh rang out amongst the fighting. She, Zack, and Raina all turned with looks of steel.

"Sienna Gold." Alex grinned a smile that showed all his teeth like grimy lined up pearls. "You know, you just keep turning up. You gift me with opportunities to kill you."

Alex stood on the edge of a cropping of rock dappled with shadow. He wore combat boots, black jeans, and a black trench coat. His dark hair hung like an anti-halo on his head and she swore she could smell his rancid breath from the thirty yards they were from each other. She knew he could evaporate into the blackness, materializing somewhere else in seconds, but her gaze flitted past him and settled on the woman next to him.

The woman was startlingly beautiful with porcelain pale skin and thick black hair that hung past her shoulders. As she moved in the sunlight, Sienna thought she saw iridescent hints of blues and purples in the black, like a raven or crow. She wore form-fitting black clothes, same as Alex, as if they shopped together at Goths-R-US. Sienna kept her gaze on her as she addressed Alex.

She smiled menacingly. "And is that what you believe you'll do today?"

He smiled widely again.

"Hmm, maybe not kill, but you certainly won't have anyone helping you organize this little band of ragtag do-gooders. Morrigan. The two beside her."

The woman looked into Sienna's gold-shining eyes and Sienna watched, fascinated, as the other woman's eyes now also flashed gold. She felt the static electricity in the air and shrieked as she threw the cloak at Raina and Zack. They weren't prepared for the throw. Before either of them could yank the cloak off themselves, two veins of golden light forked out from the woman beside Alex- Morrigan.

The attack was absorbed by the cloak with the muffled sound of ice cracking across a river or pond.

"Keep that on!" Sienna shouted at her two friends.

What had just happened? Was she another child of Zeus? But Zeus had told her she was the only child of his with her power...

"You've found another child of Zeus and you think that's enough?" She taunted.

Alex laughed even louder. "You only wish it could be that easy."

Morrigan spread her arms, and with a sound like rushing wind, two giant ebony wings sprouted from her back and beat faintly; her feet were only inches off the ground. The wings were streaked through with the same iridescence in her hair. Her wingspan must have been the length of an SUV.

Sienna stood with mouth agape. She swallowed nervously. She'd never fought a creature this powerful.

"And now, you die." Alex sang gleefully.

Morrigan raised into the air, her eyes glowing gold. In the same instant, Alex lifted his hands into the air and clenched his fists. Skeletons exploded from the ground producing shouts of surprise among the gathered demigod force.

The cloak forgotten, Raina and Zach sprang up next to her. Raina shouted orders at once.

"Sienna, you're going to have to fight her! Zack will shadow you on the ground!"

"And if we're above the _miles long_ canyon?!" Sienna growled.

Raina actually looked at a loss for words. She shook her head and shrugged pitifully. Sienna sighed, braced herself, and jumped. She was fifty feet over the fight in seconds. She could see the demigods slaughtering the long-dead soldiers of Alex's army. It wasn't a challenge. She didn't think any of the demigods would have much trouble; she was sure the attack was only meant to keep anyone from helping her.

She searched the sky around her for anything black. Once she found it, she darted over to the bridge, hiding the bulk of her body with one of the massive support beams. She could still see the phoenix's nest. From her hidden spot, Sienna spotted Morrigan nonchalantly kicking aside skeletons looking for her.

She closed her eyes briefly.

 _Dad, I need your help more than ever right now._

She felt a sudden burst of energy. She opened her eyes, which had been glowing for some time now, and laughed. Her blood felt like Redbull in her veins.

She ducked from behind the beam again and spotted Morrigan over the chasm. She held her hands and aimed for her heart. Lightning exploded from both hands and Morrigan ducked just in time to avoid it.

The rock wall behind her absorbed the impact, raining rubble into the river below.

Morrigan knew where she was now though. She soared over the battle, tucking and rolling to dodge Morrigan's electric blows.

She continued to throw more of her own, but it was almost impossible to hit the woman. Ducking behind another bridge beam, she tried to think out a plan. She noticed Zach near the edge of the cliff fighting off a hoard of three skeletons himself. He shoved his sword through all three of their rib cages with a wide arc of his arm, and frantically turned to find her.

The bridge beam was much smaller than the other had been, and a moment too late, Sienna realized Morrigan had spotted her. Before she could move, Morrigan lobbed her hands at her. Sienna flinched, expecting the searing pain of lightning to envelope her. Nothing did.

She peered around the beam again and laughed at the sight.

Morrigan was soaking wet. Zach must have doused her using the river water, rendering her attack useless.

Sienna held out her free hand and pointed to her opponent.

Morrigan was caught in a violent wind gust. Soaring above the bridge, Sienna flicked her wrist and Morrigan was shoved against the orange mountain face. She could feel the power building inside her. Just as she was about to blast the bitch to oblivion, she heard Raina cry out in pain. Momentarily distracted, she turned her head towards the ongoing battle, looking for her best friend. The one second distraction was all Morrigan needed.

She pushed out with her wings and Sienna was thrown backwards twenty feet from the impact.

"So," Morrigan taunted in a silky voice with an overpowering Irish accent. "It's your friends you care about, hm?"

Sienna's heart dropped to her stomach. With a sinister laugh, Morrigan flew ten feet closer to the battle and held her hand pointed at Zach. Sienna put on an extra burst of speed, rocketing for Zach, who had turned to kill more of Alexander's skeletons. He wasn't even aware he was in danger- and he was a son of Posiedon. An attack like that could kill him.

She heard Raina scream for her, but nothing could be done.

Almost too late, Sienna dove in front of Zach, who'd only just turned to face the shimmering, golden electrical beam, and caught the full impact of the strike in the middle of her chest. She was lifted a hundred feet straight in the air, a wail of pain torn from her throat. The pain was almost unbearable. As if she'd been suddenly dumped in a pit of celestial bronze, every cell of her body burned and where the attack had hit, her skin sizzled and smoked.

But she was alive. For now.

She could feel the darkness of unconsciousness around the edges of her vision. She tried with every bit of her remaining strength to stop herself but the wind would not obey. Her body couldn't hold out anymore. Her eyelashes fluttered and she finally began to fall toward the

ground. All her brain could register was the rush of air as she fell and the screams of people below her.

"SIENNA!"

"Gods, no!"

"Somebody do something!"

Alex's cold, but triumphant, voice slithered to her. He was laughing.

"FINALLY! She's dead! Morrigan, let's disappear before the dogs fall on us." He sneered.

Sienna turned her head slightly. She watched Morrigan glance at Alex, then she glanced at her. Morrigan made eye contact with her. She knew well that Sienna was still breathing. She flew up to Alex and the two stepped back into the shadow of the suspension bridge and vanished.

The threat was over. They'd stopped the seal.

Sienna didn't care about anything anymore. She closed her eyes, whistling past the cliff edge where Zach screamed for her, and let the darkness take her.

….

Sienna was going to die. Zach could only watch as it happened. His heart broke. He was starting to become exceptionally fond of the daughter of Zeus. She was one of the best people he knew- she was the reason he left his 'normal' life to become a hero.

She was still twenty feet above him- and a foot away from solid ground. She would plunge directly into the river below and no one could survive that.

Well, maybe he could if he-

He realized what he was thinking and sprinted for the edge of the cliff, pushing demigods out of his way as he went. He could hear Raina screaming for him, too.

"Don't be crazy! You'll die, too!"

She was racing after him but he wasn't paying attention. He was watching Sienna. He put on a burst of speed when he watched her head loll backward, her eyes closed. He reached the end of the cliff at exactly the right moment and pushed off with all his strength, screaming her name.

His body collided in mid-air with Sienna.

He wrapped an arm around the smallest part of her waist, pulled him into her body and turned so his back faced the ground. Sienna was lying unconscious on his chest. He wrapped his legs around her for extra grip.

They were a third of the way down the narrow canyon, the rock on each side of him jagged and sharp. He thrust one hand toward the sky. He heard the roar and crash of waves and braced himself. He exclaimed in shock and victory as water shattered around them, billowing under his back. They rocked on the waves and were shot straight up until they hung, mid-air, next to the cliff face. Raina was standing there, her jaw dropped.

" _Could you help me?!_ " He yelled when she continued to stare, dumbfounded.

Jack and another giant, burley guy rushed forward. Zach wrapped his legs tighter around her body and willed the water to move them closer. Both boys secured their grip on either of Zach's shoulders or his knees. Together, they scooped him up. He held Sienna tighter, afraid one small wrong move would send her tumbling to her death.

Finally, Zach felt the warm, rocky ground beneath his body and he gasped, releasing the river water and holding Sienna close. While he panted, his fingers hunted her skin around her neck and chin for a pulse. He found the spot and held his breath.

Her heart was beating strong and steady.

He let his arms fall to his sides as he laid back and caught his breath, laughing, half-crazy with relief and incredulity. Raina had dropped to her knees beside him. He didn't even look at her.

"She's alive." He murmured.

…

Sienna awoke to the soft, rhythmic swaying of...waves? Was she on a boat? But no...she could still smell the burnt peanut buttery smell of Zoe's magick. That was when she heard the voices.

"I have no idea. I'm going to have to research."

Raina sounded almost happy at the prospect of more books to read. Sienna would've rolled her eyes if they were open.

"I can't believe you thought of that, though." She murmured.

A snort. "I almost didn't."

So, she was being carried cradle-style it felt like, by Zach, across the bridge from the sound of their clanging footsteps.

"How did you know it would work?"

"I did something similar once to save myself. I didn't know if it would work for Sienna without me. So, I jumped." He sounded matter-of-fact.

"Wait, what?" She exclaimed, her eyes snapped open and the two demigods jumped in surprise.

Zach looked down at her, his black hair dirty, tangled, and wet. The sea-blue in his eyes was glowing, reminding her of bottled glass. His lips broke out into a wide, relieved smile.

"Gods, C! You scared us!"

She snorted. "Yeah, ditto. Uh, can I get down please?"

His gaze passed over her thigh, the blood from the lion's claws still seeping out of the gash, and back to her face. She could see the 'no' in his eyes. She gave him her best glare.

"Okay, okay fine. But you're keeping your arm around my neck, lady, no questions."

She raised her eyebrows in amused disbelief, but didn't complain.

He stopped and gently set her on her feet, pulling her left arm around his neck. That's when she noticed Zach wasn't the only one soaking wet- she was too. Her jeans clung to her legs, making her itch, and her hair felt heavy. She squirmed in discomfort. Raina scooted half a foot closer to her from her right side. She bent to take a step and squelched a yelp of pain.

"You okay, Queenie?"

She stopped and gave him a quizzical expression. "Queenie? What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged. "If any of us would be, it'd be you."

"And what about Raina? The person behind this entire operation?"

She turned from a couple feet ahead of them with a mocking expression.

"I'd be your brilliant royal advisor." She winked.

They all three laughed and Sienna winced. The beating she'd taken was going to take a while to really heal. They rounded the corner of the cliff-face and made for the entrance to the caves.

"Wait, so what the hell happened? How am I alive?"

Zach, sounding proud of himself, explained his actions while she stood in stunned silence.

"Thank you." She murmured as they emerged in front of the black opening.

His cheeks flushed light pink and he shrugged off her gratitude.

"Guys…" Sienna started.

"You're leaving." Raina sighed in a sullen tone. Zach looked almost offended.

"How? You can barely walk, Sienna."

She smiled sardonically. "I don't _need_ to walk to drive."

He huffed, but didn't object. She followed them into the cave entrance and, worming her way around decompressing soldiers, started packing up her stuff. She knew she should at least try to clean some of her wounds, but she felt an urgency she couldn't suppress. She had to go to Dean. She _had to_. Even though she wanted to strangle him, she was almost certain they were facing as dire circumstances as she just had. She stuffed everything in her duffel and, without even changing her clothes, headed back out the cave.

She found Raina ushering demigods back into the cave, directing them to the nearest food, water, and nectar. When she caught sight of Sienna, she stepped back out into the afternoon light. The fight had only taken an hour, somehow, though Sienna felt like it was weeks. She might well be able to get to Sam and Dean to help them against the angels.

Raina led her to the car she'd stolen and tapped the hood twice. It appeared in a puff of purple smoke.

"Oh!" Sienna exclaimed. "Zoe?"  
"Of course." Raina confirmed. "Here."

She handed her a canvas bag like the one she used for the phoenix egg. Sienna peered inside curiously and started shuffling items around. The first thing she saw was the cloak. She reached to pull it out and found a large flask wrapped up in it. She seized the flask, unscrewed the lid, and gratefully took two gulps.

She sighed. The nectar worked instantaneously. She could feel her multitude of bruises healing, her cuts stop bleeding. But the nasty black starburst-shaped burn mark in the middle of her sternum stayed painful and raised. She didn't think this scar would ever heal. After her drink, she grabbed the cloak and handed it back to Raina. She wouldn't take it.

"No way, you won that fair and square."

She smiled. "True. But, I have a feeling your demigods will need it more than me. I can kill anything that comes at me with the Winchesters. Seriously," She said when Raina began to protest again. "Take it."

"What we arguing about over here?"

Zach looked somewhat better as if he'd taken a swig or two of nectar, too.

"Raina was just taking the cloak." Sienna said, pushing the fur-lined cloth into her friend's arms.

Zach eyed her up and down. "So, you're really leaving?"  
She grimaced. "I've got to."

"She's got to get back to her _boys_." Raina mocked with a leer.

Sienna glared daggers at her best friend as she ducked her head to sit in the driver's seat.

"Anything you want me to tell Sam?" She retaliated in the same tone.

Raina glared back. "Can it, Gold."

She laughed as Raina shut her door for her.

"Call me if you need anything. I'll be back in a jiff."

They blew kisses to each other as Sienna backed out onto the highway heading North.

….

Dean was a mess.

He'd lost Sienna, and then immediately slept with another woman. He felt like garbage. Add to that the fact that they still didn't have a clue how to save Anna, and the angels were only a couple hours from throwing him into the pit, and you could stick a fork in Dean.

He was beyond done.

Sam, Anna, and he were holed up in Bobby's barn waiting. They knew the angels would come. He took two heavy swigs from his flask.

"A little early for that, isn't it?"

"It's two a.m. somewhere." He replied briskly.

"You okay?"

Dean had trouble meeting her gaze. "Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

She just stared at him uncomfortably.

The doors of the barn blew open in a sudden gust of wind. Castiel and Uriel stormed in, grave faced. The brothers and Anna stood to face the oncoming threat. The barn doors slammed shut again behind them. Anna stood between the two, Sam holding out an arm in front of her.

"Hello, Anna. It's good to see you." Castiel began.

"How?" Sam asked indignant. "How did you find us?"

Castiel cast a furtive, but meaningful look at Dean. Dean's guilt was written all over his face.

"Dean?" Sam asked, wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to Anna.

"They gave him a choice. Either they kill me or they kill Sam. I know how their minds work."

Anna gripped Dean's arm and leaned up to kiss him lightly.

"You did the best you could. I forgive you."

She turned to the angels as if presenting herself to a firing squad.

"Okay. No more tricks. No more running. I'm ready."

"I'm sorry." Castiel tried, but his monotone voice didn't allow for displays of emotion.

"No, you're not. You don't know the feeling."

Castiel opened his mouth to respond and was cut off by a high, nasally voice Dean recognized.

"Don't touch a hair on that girl's head."

Alastair, along with two demon goons of his, held an unsteady Ruby between them. They shoved her to the floor as they made their way towards the angels and the Winchesters.

Dean watched in horror as the angels and demons exchanged words. This barn was going to become a battlezone any minute and he wasn't sure if it was one he'd survive.

Castiel took two slow steps towards Alastair.

"I won't say it again. Leave now... or we lay you to waste."

"I think I'll take my chances."

The angels and demons made to run at each other.

Castiel took on Alastair and was quickly losing the fight. Though he wasn't Dean's favorite person, he couldn't watch him die. He grabbed up a huge, heavy wrench and swung at the back of Alastair's head. He let go of the angel.

"Dean, Dean, Dean. And you had such promise." Alastair mocked.

Then he thrust his hands up and Sam and Dean put their hands to their throats as they gasped for breath. Just when he thought he couldn't hold out any longer, a sarcastic sing-song voice cut through the night and had Dean's heart lurching and doubling pace.

"Now, now _boys_. Is that anyway to behave in front of a lady?"

She sat in one of the second floor windows, her legs hanging off the ground and her arms crossed petulantly. A thin gold aura surrounded her and her eyes blazed so bright Dean could see it from where he was standing. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, smiling down at the horror in front of her.

"Sienna." His voice was whispered and broken, his throat raw and tight from the demon's attack. She made eye contact with him for one moment and he felt his heart drop to his stomach. She looked at him with barely contained rage. _She knew_. She had to.

He half-hoped he got severely injured in this fight, so she'd have an excuse not to yell at him the way he deserved.

"Sienna." Castiel called up. "Did you stop the seal?"

"Yup." She popped the P.

She let her feet hit the ground and Dean watched as she pointed a finger and flicked it once, twice, and then he heard Anna's shout of glee.

"No!" Castiel shouted, barreling toward Anna.

"Yoo-hoo." Sienna sung again, and Castiel turned back to her angrily. Then stopped in his tracks. He turned, running at Sienna. "No! Sienna!"

Sienna smirked and pressed her bloody hand to the banishing sigil she'd drawn on the window behind her.

Dean turned back to Anna just in time to see her opening the vial full of her grace and watch the white-blue light shoot down her throat. She was on the ground, her limbs twitching.

"Close your eyes! Close your eyes!" She screamed. Dean looked up, saw Sienna bury her face in her arm, and then did the same.

When all he could hear was the blowing of the wind, he opened his eyes. All that was left were he, Sam, Ruby and Sienna. He noticed the demon-killing knife on the ground and picked up. He heard a rattle above him and figured Sienna was coming down the stairs. He turned and looked up at her.

"Sienna." The word was a plead.

She took one glowering look at him and climbed out the window without saying a word.

He almost broke down right there. He'd felt so run-down lately. So tired. He kept making the wrong decisions and hurting the people he loved.

But he wouldn't lose Sienna.

He didn't care what he had to do- he would make it up to her. Even if she wouldn't let him.

….

Dean sat at the end of Sienna's bed, waiting.

He hadn't taken a shower or changed. It was too important for him to be here. He checked the first aid kit he had in his hands again. He thought he had everything she would need. Including the extra flask he had of nectar. Just from the couple minutes he'd seen her, he knew she needed it.

He'd been waiting almost twenty minutes. Had she left? His mind was full of thoughts of what he'd say to make her believe him. He wouldn't lie. There was no use. But he did love her. He'd make her see it somehow.

The door was pushed open roughly, and there she was. She froze when she saw him, her hand still on the doorknob. Her eyes were still glowing. At the sight of her, all his thoughts had ground to a halt.

She looked forlorn and beaten. She hadn't taken care of any of her wounds, or even changed, from what it looked like. She was covered in splotches of deep purple and rusty brown that he knew had been blood. The only fresh blood seemed to be from the gash she'd made in her arm to draw the sigil.

Her lip was bloody and swollen. There were three scratches on her forehead dragging back into her hair. Tawny colored dirt powdered her clothes, her face, her hair. Her hair was tangled and wild, lousy with twigs and...cat fur?

She let the door slam shut behind her but stayed silent. When she moved to take off her jacket, Dean gasped and crossed to the room in two long strides. There was a burn in the shape of a starburst running half a foot long in the middle of her sternum. It must have been where she was hit with the lightning bolt. The memory made him shudder. The skin was raised, light pink splotched with black. He moved her jacket back to get a good look at it.

She swatted his hands away with a scowl.

"Don't touch me, Winchester."

Dean swallowed. That hurt.

"That's fair." He mumbled.

She barely looked at him as she limped to the dresser across the room and dumped the contents of her duffel out on the top. He re-took his seat on her bed. _Their_ bed. She turned to open the closet door next to her. While she wasn't looking at him, he found it much easier to talk.

"What happened?"

"Alex got away. That all that matters."

"All that ma- Sienna have you looked at yourself? You're beaten to Hell!"

She didn't respond. She simply kept pulling things out of the closet.

"There it is!" He heard her say before tossing Aegis onto the top of the dresser, along with a couple days worth of clothes.

"Look, C, I know you don't want to talk to me…" She glared at him. "Or even see me. But just let me clean up your wounds."

"I can do it."

"No, you can't and you know I'm right."

She glowered at him. The gold never faded from her eyes.

"Then I'll ask Sam."

That one really hurt. Dean closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip, trying to reign in his misery. He could feel her eyes on his face, but when he looked at her, she'd turned her head away.

"Please." The word sounded scraped out of his throat.

She looked at him for a minute, contemplative. He pleaded with her with his eyes. He could see the hard wall she'd thrown up against him crumbling.

"Fine. Touch anything else and I'll light you up faster than you got over me."

She raised an eyebrow in confrontation when he glared at her for her comment. But he stayed silent. He had thought she was gone. Dead. She could be angry at him. Hell, she could hate him. As long as she was breathing.

She grabbed all the things she'd collected with her duffel and set them on the bed, sat next to Dean, and held out her bleeding forearm. He started cleaning it wordlessly. When he'd wrapped gauze around the clean cut, he let her arm drop.

He went for the cut on her leg. She wasn't paying attention to what he was doing, so she jumped in surprise when his hands prodded the inside of her thigh. She half-gasped. He looked up at her innocently.

Her eyelashes fluttered and she went back to what she was doing. But Dean had noticed her reaction. His heart leapt. There had to be a chance for him.

"I can't reach this, C." He murmured.

She pursed her lips, got up and retreated in the bathroom. Dean put his head in his hands. How would he fix this? He needed her. He'd meant what he said to Anna. He didn't want to live in a world where she didn't exist- and he'd prefer to live it with her.

He heard the bathroom door open and looked up to see she'd changed into pajama shorts. She sat back down next to him, propping her leg across his lap. He swallowed hard. He'd started cleaning this one, but it was deeper than the others. He had to press harder. She inhaled through her teeth.

"I'm sorry, baby." He murmured.

"Don't- Don't call me that." She stuttered in a whisper.

He met her gaze, his head still bent over her thigh. The wall was definitely slipping. Sienna's anger was dissipating and being replaced by what she really felt- hurt.

He laid a self-adhesive bandage along the cut, lightly pressing it into her skin, and lifted her leg, placing her foot on his shoulder. He wrapped gauze around the bandage and pulled tight. She whimpered.

He sighed. How did he put himself in the position to hurt Sienna over and over again?

He gently put her leg down and she faced him to give him her other hand. It was spotted with dark burns. He poured a small amount of nectar on her hand and spread it with two fingers- a trick Raina taught him when Sienna had been poisoned with centaur's blood.

"I'm sorry, Sienna."

Her jaw locked and she was staring at his chest. "That's not good enough, Dean."

He let out a breath. That was it. He lost her. He bit the inside of his cheek hoping the pain would clear the emotion clogging his throat.

He dropped her hand. He was finished with it. Now the only wound left was the giant burn in the center of her chest. She'd have to take off her shirt. Dean's nerves shot up at asking her to do it.

She looked at him, rolled her eyes, and carefully removed the shirt.

He just gazed at her, his gaze dreamy.

She was so beautiful. No one compared to his Sienna. She caught him looking and looked away, a light flush of pink over her cheeks.

"I know. The scar will probably never go away. I'll look like this forever."

She sounded mournful. Almost as if she would cry. Dean was taken aback. He took her chin in his two fingers and forced her to look at him.

"You took off your shirt and you think I'm staring at the scar?" He asked in disbelief. "This doesn't change a thing, Sienna. You're as beautiful as you've always been."

They continued to stare into each others eyes for a few moments. Then Sienna pulled out his grip and let out a noise between a growl and a sob.

"God dammit, Winchester."

She looked back down at him. He was still trying to clean the wound on her chest.

"Just tell me _why_." She cried, tears in her eyes. "Because I'm not an idiot. I _know_ you care about me. You show me every goddamn day. So, why- why would you ruin the best thing either of us has ever had?"

Dean had swallow twice before he could make his voice work.

"She showed me the fight between you and that other flying lady. She hit you and...and you were unconscious and falling…" He shook his head, tears springing to his eyes at the memory. "I thought you were dead."

She snorted and stood, facing him angrily.

"Very convenient of your angel girlfriend not to show you Zach rescue me approximately twenty seconds later. And you sure got over me fast."

Dean stood, too, facing her.

"I didn't do it because I don't care about you, Sienna!" He yelled. "I did it because I care too much! Because I thought I watched you die and I didn't know how to keep going!"

She'd shut up, staring at him, her mouth open slightly at his outburst. Dean took another step toward her.

"It only happened because that girl reminded me of you! She looked like you, she spoke like you, the things she would say... _you'd_ tell me the same things. I didn't think I'd ever have you here, with me again! _So yeah, I took second best, because I had to figure out how to keep being there for Sam when all I wanted was to follow you into that canyon!_ "

She stared at him, half in horror.

"Don't talk like that." She barely got the words out.

"Like what?"

" _Like you'll die if I do!_ " She yelled back.

"A part of me _would_!"

They stared at each other, until Dean couldn't take it. Only five hours ago, he thought Sienna had died, miles from him. Then she'd sprung up into existence and he couldn't even hold her, tell her how much he missed her. He put both his hands over his face, wiping the tear that fell there. He felt the bed shift as Sienna sat next to him.

He spoke from between his fingers.

"Sienna, I know it seems stupid and short-sighted, but for about five hours today, I thought I'd never see you again. _I thought you'd died_."

She stared at him, finally devoid of anger. He held his arms out for her.

"Please." He cried.

She pursed her lips, her eyes watery.

Dean's puff of air from pure joy escaped his chest when she slid in, her face pressed against his shoulder. Dean let out a tiny cry of pain. She couldn't possibly understand what it meant to him that, even after what he did, she would give him the comfort he needed. He buried his head in her hair, not caring that she smelled a little like the bottom of a river. He pulled her as close as he dared and ran his hands all over her, reassuring himself she was really with him.

Over her head, he finally noticed her duffel, now packed, laying open on the bed.

"What's with the duffel?" He asked, keeping her in his arms.

She didn't answer. He pulled her back, his hands were gentle on her shoulders, but his expression was one of anguish.

"You said you could come back after this one."

She sighed. "I can."

He could feel his expression change. She looked sorry, but she didn't say a word.

"You're leaving." Dean whispered.

His hands had slipped off her shoulders. It didn't matter anyway. She wouldn't be here. She could die any day and Dean would never know. He knew she was watching him, but he couldn't meet her gaze.

"What did you think would happen?" Sienna murmured sadly.

He just shook his head, biting his bottom lip to keep from begging her. He couldn't stop the emotion anymore. He didn't want to. It didn't matter. He stared at the comforter covering her bed through watery eyes- _their bed_ , he reminded himself mournfully.

" _Don't._ " He whispered anyway. His heart betrayed his mouth and his pride, and he begged her.

"Don't leave. _Please_. Sienna, I will do anything you want me to, just don't leave."

She stared at him, her mouth slightly open. She'd never seen him this emotional before. Not even when he'd gone to Hell.

And that grim reminder of Hell glued his lips shut. How could be beg her to stay with him? He didn't deserve her. He never did. He'd just sped up the process with Anna. He gripped his hands in his hair savagely and squinched his eyes shut.

"Dean!"

Sienna pried his hands out of his hair, and he only covered his face with them.

"You should go." He whispered, his eyes shut. "You're right. You don't belong with me. You never did."

He heard stark silence.

"What do you mean by that?" Sienna asked, completely dumbfounded.

"I mean, look at us, Sienna! You're _bona fide goodness_ , wrapped up in a ginger bow! And I'm...not."

Sienna was thrown.

Dean finally looked up at her, tears running down his cheeks. Sienna kneeled on the bed toward him, still shirtless.

"You are, too. _You hunt evil for a living, Dean_ , and it's not exactly a happy job. What do you think that makes you?"

His lip quivered. He stayed silent. He still couldn't find it in him to tell her. She looked imploringly at him. He felt her hands on his face as she wiped his tears.

"What are you hiding?" Her soft, pleading voice was only inches from his face. "You've been hiding something for weeks, Dean, _please_. Just tell me. For both of our sakes."

He let out a shaky breath. "I can't."

She crawled into his lap. And he groaned at the closeness of her body, but gave in willingly. He rested his head on her shoulder and she ran a hand up and down his back, letting her fingers graze his hair-line. He shuddered, goosebumps rising on the skin she touched.

"It's _me_ , Dean. Yes, you can."

He took a deep breath. "In Hell…"

She pulled back abruptly. He stared at her, shocked. She hadn't even heard what he'd done and she was already shying away from him. It was what he deserved, but his organs still felt like they were shrinking.

"That?"

Dean furrowed his brow. "What do you mean ' _that'?_ "

She gave him a look of great sympathy and cupped his face in both hands.

"Oh, Dean." She sighed.

She pulled him back into her arms and he gladly rested his head back on her shoulder, waiting for her to explain. When she spoke, he could feel the vibrations of her vocal chords through his chest. He felt an intimacy towards her he'd never felt before.

"When you were there, Dean, I...I saw you."

He pulled away from her in horror.

"It was when I was lost. When I could rest, I saw you."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"It was the most horrible thing…" She shuddered and when he spoke again she could hear the tears in her voice. "I watched them torture you for weeks. So, when you said yes...I was relieved."

He gaped at her. Relieved?

"How could you…" He stared openmouthed.

"Because you were in agony, Dean! I couldn't take it! I'd rather you'd tortured everyone that came through Hell then to keep being…" She trailed off, swallowing.

"You-You knew...and you don't...how can you even look at me?" He cried, pushing away from her.

She scrambled to him. Her knees were on either side of his legs, and her hands can back up to cup his face again, forcing him to look at her. She hugged him to her so hard he knew it had to hurt her bruised body. Her lips next to his ear, she whispered.

"It wasn't your fault."

He let out a sob. "Of course it was! I chose to do those things!"

She pulled back again, but kept her hands on his face.

"Dean Winchester, when have any of us _ever_ had a choice?! None of us asked for this! It was forced on us! So stop punishing yourself, Dean! Because it's not just you whose suffering. It's all of us. So do us all a favor and forgive yourself. We already have."

He stared at her, tears making twin tracks down his cheeks and onto her hands. She stared back, her hands still on his face, her eyes taking on a dreamy quality.

"This doesn't change anything." She whispered.

And she leaned forward. Dean desperately pulled her into his body, his arms wrapping around her waist. When their lips touched, Dean groaned and buried a hand in her hair, pulling her face closer to his.

The kiss was passionate, full of anger, pain, and love. The feeling of Sienna's bare skin on his was hot, like her electricity was racing through his nerves.

Sienna pulled back from him, but Dean followed her. He pressed his forehead to hers.

She stared up at him biting the inside of her cheek.

"I really am sorry, C. If I'd known you'd survived…"

"I know." She whispered. He could still tell she was in pain though. He had to try anyway.

"Please don't go." His voice was barely audible. "I need you, Sienna."

Sienna sighed grumpily and looked down at her packed duffel. She kicked it and all her clothes and weapons dumped back onto the bed. She was staying.

He caught her up against her again. She let herself relax into the embrace. Dean's hand caressed her back, her sides, her neck while the other held her head safely to his chest. She had her arms around his middle and her ear pressed to his chest. He nuzzled her hair.

"I'll make it up to you, C, if it's the last thing I do."

She chuckled. "Don't let me regret it, Winchester."


End file.
